Clinical investigation of use of an antimicrobial peptide hydrogel wound dressing on intact skin
Journal article, 2023

A material with the ability to rapidly eradicate bacteria via a contact-killing mechanism has the benefit of a more localised treatment that is easy to implement when needed to prevent or treat a bacterial infection. Here, we present an antimicrobial material based on covalently attached antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to a soft amphiphilic hydrogel. This results in a material that exhibits an antimicrobial effect based on contact-killing. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of the AMP-hydrogel was investigated by observing the changes in total bioburden on the intact skin of healthy human volunteers when the AMP-hydrogel dressing was placed on the forearm for three hours. The AMP-hydrogel significantly reduced the bioburden on the skin from a mean value of 1200CFU/cm2 for the untreated skin to 23CFU/cm2. Biocompatibility evaluations of the AMP-hydrogel showed no sign of cytotoxicity, acute systemic toxicity, irritation or sensitisation, demonstrating the safety of the AMP-hydrogel as a potential wound dressing. Leachability studies confirmed no release of AMPs and that the antimicrobial effect was localised to the surface of the hydrogels, demonstrating a pure contact-killing mode of action.

antimicrobial peptides

antimicrobial

wound care

wound dressing

infection prevention

intact skin

wound healing

wound

hydrogel wound dressing

Author

Edvin Blomstrand

Amferia

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Saba Atefyekta

Amferia

Anand Kumar Rajasekharan

Amferia

Martin Andersson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Journal of Wound Care

0969-0700 (ISSN) 20522916 (eISSN)

Vol. 32 6 368-375

Subject Categories

Dermatology and Venereal Diseases

Biomaterials Science

Areas of Advance

Health Engineering

Materials Science

DOI

10.12968/jowc.2023.32.6.368

PubMed

37300860

More information

Latest update

7/20/2023