22.07.2024

Local drug delivery over a longer period of time: this is one of the challenges faced by medical professionals in the treatment of wounds and inflammation.

Previous methods such as ointments or injections have reached their limits here. Empa researchers have now developed a promising solution: "liquid core fibers" that contain medication inside and can deliver it precisely over a longer period of time.

$Image: Edith Perret, woman with lab coat and long blonde hair, sits in a laboratory and smiles at the camera; Copyright: Empa$

Empa researcher Edith Perret is developing special fibers that can deliver drugs in a targeted manner.

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The newly developed fibers consist of a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), which encloses a liquid core containing the desired active ingredient. The size of the pores in the sheath of the fiber determines the speed at which the active ingredient is released. Depending on the active ingredient, the manufacturing process can be adapted: insensitive active ingredients can be integrated directly into the core of the fibers, while sensitive active ingredients are initially replaced by a placeholder and exchanged later.

The advantages of liquid core fibers:

Precise dosing: the active ingredient is released directly at the point of action where it is most needed.
Long-term release: The fibers release the active ingredient in a controlled manner over a longer period of time, reducing the need for repeated applications.
Reduced side effects: Because the active ingredient is delivered specifically to the affected area, systemic side effects on other parts of the body are significantly reduced.
Versatility: The fibers can be processed into various medical textiles, such as surgical sutures, wound dressings or textile implants.

Image: An electromicroscopic image of the polymer fibers with liquid core; Copyright: Empa

It's the "inner values" that count: The novel polymer fibers with a liquid core can deliver drugs in a targeted manner. The image shows a fiber bundle approx. one millimeter wide at 80x magnification.

Initial successes and next steps

Initial laboratory tests have shown that the liquid core fibers are stable and flexible and release the active ingredient as desired. The researchers were also able to investigate the influence of various parameters on the release rate of the active ingredient, such as the thickness of the sheath or the crystalline structure of the sheath material.

The liquid core fibers offer a wide range of potential applications in medicine. For example, they can be used to treat wounds, inflammations, infections or chronic diseases such as diabetes.

In a next step, the Empa researchers want to develop surgical suture material with antimicrobial properties. In addition, further innovative clinical applications are planned in collaboration with clinical partners.+

COMPAMED-tradefair.com; Source: Empa