Advantages
- Donor-Free Alternative: Eliminates the need for donor corneas in treating shallow corneal opacity, utilizes secretomes and/or extracellular vesicles from stem cells to promote natural healing and tissue regeneration
- Enhanced Healing Performance: Improves wound closure and reduce fibrosis
- Sustained and controlled Therapeutic Release
- Suture-free Application: can be directly placed on the corneal surface
Summary
Corneal scarring, the leading cause of vision loss, is conventionally treated by keratoplasty—which is limited by scarcity of donor tissue and risk of immune rejection. Advances in stem cell research have shown promise, particularly with human corneal stromal stem cells (hCSSCs) and other stem cell types or their secreted factors, which have demonstrated regenerative effects in preclinical models. Yet, translating these benefits into a scalable, non-invasive solution has remained a challenge.
Our inventors have developed a pioneering bioengineered membrane embedded with hCSSC-derived secretome, offering a viable alternative to corneal transplantation for chromeal scarring. This transparent film is fabricated from a crosslinked hydrogel composed of polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose in ratios precisely tuned to match the stiffness of native human corneal tissue. Unlike traditional hydrogels, the film is easy to handle and apply directly to the surface of the eye without suturing for superficial corneal scarring or apply to the corneal stromal with a tunnel or corneal flap for deep corneal scarring or even combining with LASIK, enhancing its clinical and industrial usability. Extensive laboratory testing confirms the membrane’s regenerative capabilities. Secretomes from both standard and wound-primed CSSC significantly improved corneal fibroblast healing, reduced fibrotic markers, and enhanced cell morphology. The film demonstrated sustained release of therapeutic biomolecules, stable pH performance, and superior viscoelastic properties. Scanning and atomic force microscopy show that the film’s smooth and homogeneous surface preserves optical clarity. Unlike existing treatments that rely on scarce donor corneas or cumbersome hydrogels, this invention offers a novel alternative to keratoplasty for superficial corneal scarring.
Desired Partnerships