SMARTHYCAR

An emerging approach for care and regenerative therapy of chronic wounds, which have an increased incidence in elderly, diabetics, immuno-suppressed and immobilised people, uses smart hydrogels for a spatio-temporally triggerred repair process. Hyaluronic acid (HyA)-based dressings are already safely used, e.g., in treating diabetic foot ulcer. The novel multifunctional HyA-CAR(GHK)-Cu dressing, deposited via an atmospheric plasma technology ad hoc designed and developed, starts from HyA conjugated with a dipeptide (carnosine, CAR) and/or a tripeptide (GHK), exhibiting inhibitory effects against carnosinase as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The scaffold is further implemented by the incorporation of copper, which has angiogenic and antibacterial properties, as well as SOD-like activity in the CAR-Cu and GHK-Cu complexes. The HyA-CAR(GHK)-Cu hydrogels will provide a novel unique synergic activity in the modulation of the wound healing and scar repair actions.