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Emerging drugs for the treatment of wound healing
Elizabeth R Zielins1, Elizabeth A Brett, Anna Luan
1Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine , 257 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5148 , USA +1 650 736 1707 ; +1 650 736 1705 ; longaker@stanford.edu.
Introduction:
Wound healing can be characterized as underhealing, as in the setting of chronic wounds, or overhealing, occurring with hypertrophic scar formation after burn injury. Topical therapies targeting specific biochemical and molecular pathways represent a promising avenue for improving and, in some cases normalizing, the healing process.
Areas Covered:
A brief overview of both normal and pathological wound healing has been provided, along with a review of the current clinical guidelines and treatment modalities for chronic wounds, burn wounds and scar formation. Next, the major avenues for wound healing drugs, along with drugs currently in development, are discussed. Finally, potential challenges to further drug development, and future research directions are discussed.
Expert Opinion:
The large body of research concerning wound healing pathophysiology has provided multiple targets for topical therapies. Growth factor therapies with the ability to be targeted for localized release in the wound microenvironment are most promising, particularly when they modulate processes in the proliferative phase of wound healing.
Insights
Topical therapies offer a promising approach to normalize wound healing, addressing both chronic wounds and hypertrophic scarring. Growth factor therapies targeting the proliferative phase show significant potential for localized wound treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical science
- Dermatology
- Regenerative medicine
Background:
- Wound healing can result in underhealing (chronic wounds) or overhealing (hypertrophic scars).
- Topical therapies targeting molecular pathways are a promising strategy to improve wound healing.
- Understanding wound healing pathophysiology is key to developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of normal and pathological wound healing.
- To review current treatment modalities for chronic wounds, burns, and scars.
- To discuss current and developing topical therapies for wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical guidelines and treatment modalities.
- Discussion of current and investigational wound healing drugs.
- Analysis of challenges and future directions in drug development.
Main Results:
- Multiple targets for topical therapies have been identified through extensive research.
- Growth factor therapies are particularly promising for wound healing.
- Localized release of therapies in the wound microenvironment enhances efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Targeted topical therapies can normalize wound healing processes.
- Growth factor therapies modulating the proliferative phase are highly promising.
- Further research into drug development challenges and future directions is warranted.
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