Diabetic chronic ulcers, a common complication of diabetes, are significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world.
Despite the considerable medical need, currently no specific and efficacious treatment for diabetic -and other chronic- ulcers exist.
This is in part due to the complexity of the condition and incompletely understood mechanisms underlying delayed wound healing.
We have found that increased expression of a protease inhibitor SerpinB3 is associated with faster healing of ulcers in diabetic patients and showed that topical administration of exogenous SerpinB3 facilitates wound healing in mice.
To this end, we developed a novel semisolid formulation suitable for topical administration of protein-based bioactive agents. The carrier allows to overcome problems related to the intrinsic instability or proteins in aqueous environment and permits their sustained release for more that 3 days. Topical administration of SerpinB3 was effective in promoting chronic wound healing only if administered in this slow releasing formulation.
Lead Optimization/Preclinical