Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of regenerative medicine with the development of an injectable biomaterial that can heal tissues from the inside out.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego say the new technology has the potential to revolutionize treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries, including damage from heart attacks.
One of the most significant advantages of the new biomaterial is its ability to be directly injected into damaged tissue.
Traditional methods of regenerative treatment, like stem cell therapy, often require invasive surgeries. This new treatment would allow patients to be treated by a simple injection, reducing both cost and risk.
“This biomaterial allows for treating damaged tissue from the inside out,” said Karen Christman, a professor of bioengineering at UC San Diego, and the lead researcher on the team. "It's a new approach to regenerative engineering."
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Another advantage is its versatility. The injectable biomaterial has already shown promise in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks and brain injuries, but researchers believe it could be used to treat a variety of other injuries.
“We sought to design a biomaterial therapy that could be delivered to difficult-to-access organs and tissues, and we came up with the method to take advantage of the bloodstream — the vessels that already supply blood to these organs and tissues,” said Martin Spang, the paper's first author. "While the majority of work in this study involved the heart, the possibilities of treating other difficult-to-access organs and tissues can open up the field of biomaterials/tissue engineering in treating new diseases."
The technology is still in the early stages of development, but testing showed it was effective in both rodents and large animals.
Clinical trials on its safety and efficacy in humans could begin within one to two years, Christman said.
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