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Ciprofloxacin-loaded bioadhesive hydrogels for ocular applications
Islam A Khalil1, Bahram Saleh2, Dina M Ibrahim3
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA and Department of Pharmaceutics, Misr University of Science and Technology, 6th of October City 12566, Giza, Egypt.
This study developed an antibacterial hydrogel delivering ciprofloxacin (CPX) for corneal injuries. The bioadhesive hydrogel seals wounds, prevents infection, and shows promise as a suture-free treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Corneal infections pose treatment challenges due to complex regimens and poor patient compliance.
- Severe corneal injuries often require sutures and struggle with topical antibiotic inadequacy.
- An unmet need exists for treatments that close wounds and prevent/treat infection simultaneously.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize an antibacterial bioadhesive hydrogel loaded with ciprofloxacin (CPX) micelles for managing infected corneal injuries.
- To evaluate the hydrogel's drug release, antibacterial efficacy, physical properties, and cytocompatibility.
- To assess the in vivo performance of the hydrogel in an ex vivo corneal injury model.
Main Methods:
- Developed a bioadhesive hydrogel system incorporating micelles loaded with ciprofloxacin (CPX).
- Conducted in vitro release studies, antibacterial assays against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and physical/cytocompatibility tests.
- Evaluated hydrogel efficacy in an ex vivo infectious pig corneal injury model, measuring bacterial load and epithelial viability.
Main Results:
- The hydrogel demonstrated sustained release of CPX for up to 24 hours.
- CPX-loaded hydrogels exhibited potent antibacterial activity and did not compromise hydrogel stiffness, adhesion, or cytocompatibility.
- Ex vivo models showed significant reduction in bacterial CFU and enhanced corneal epithelial viability with CPX hydrogel treatment.
Conclusions:
- The developed antibacterial bioadhesive hydrogel is a promising, suture-free option for sealing corneal wounds.
- This innovative hydrogel effectively prevents and treats corneal infections, improving patient outcomes.
- The system offers a novel therapeutic approach for managing high-risk corneal injuries.
