Researchers from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation and the University of Arizona College of Medicine have developed a novel topical therapy for burn wounds—a laponite-gelatin hydrogel containing 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). The findings, published in the Biomaterials, demonstrate accelerated healing of severe skin injuries, with nearly complete wound closure within 21 days in experimental models.
Burn treatment remains one of the most challenging areas of regenerative medicine. The current gold standard—autologous skin grafting, in which a patient's own healthy skin is transplanted to the injured area—is limited by the availability of donor tissue and the risk of creating additional wounds at the harvest site.
The newly developed therapy offers a noninvasive alternative by delivering an active compound directly to the wound, thereby minimizing systemic exposure.
4-Aminopyridine is already used in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis under the brand name Ampyra. However, systemic administration can be associated with serious side effects, including seizures. By incorporating the drug into a localized hydrogel, researchers aim to reduce these risks while preserving its beneficial effects on key wound-healing cells such as keratinocytes and fibroblasts.
The hydrogel matrix provides controlled release of the drug directly within the damaged tissue. In laboratory experiments, the system demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and achieved more than 90% closure of the wound surface within the first 48 hours.
Animal studies showed that healing began earlier than in control groups, with measurable improvements appearing by day six. By day 21, wounds treated with the hydrogel were almost completely closed, whereas untreated controls still exhibited areas of incomplete healing.
Histological analyses revealed several beneficial effects, including reduced inflammation, enhanced re-epithelialization, increased angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), and activation of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation—a critical process that helps contract and close wounds.
The researchers also observed a substantial increase in collagen deposition. Compared with controls, type I collagen levels increased by 438% and type III collagen levels by 288%, suggesting the formation of more mature and structurally organized tissue during healing.
An important advantage of the approach is that 4-AP already has regulatory approval and a well-characterized safety profile. As a result, repurposing the drug for burn treatment could potentially accelerate the transition from preclinical research to human clinical trials.
According to the authors, the combination of an established medication with an innovative delivery system represents a promising strategy for burn care. If future clinical studies confirm these results, the technology could reduce the need for surgical skin grafts, improve recovery outcomes, and lessen the burden on healthcare systems.
While the findings remain preliminary and are currently limited to experimental models, they highlight a potentially significant advance in regenerative medicine and wound healing research.
Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter