A Novel Peptide Hydrogel for an Antimicrobial Bandage Contact Lens

Abstract

A peptide hydrogel with an antimicrobial activity is developed as a bandage contact lens. The antimicrobial activity is enhanced with the addition of the biomolecules penicillin G or poly‐ε‐lysine and is positive against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The lens is also noncytotoxic toward a human corneal epithelial cell line and as a consequence is of great potential as a drug‐eluting bandage lens replacing conventional corneal ulcer treatment.

Ocular adhesives: Design, chemistry, crosslinking mechanisms, and applications

“…CL technology has advanced at a rapid pace in various innovative directions, including as drug delivery systems [204,205], delivery of antimicrobial agent [206], biosensors [199,200], and electronic displays [199,207]. These technologies will certainly substantially benefit the ocular wound care arena in the short term.…”

Development of a Poly-ε-Lysine Contact Lens as a Drug Delivery Device for the Treatment of Fungal Keratitis

“…A hydrogel was synthesized from peK and octanedioic acid using carbodiimide chemistry that was transparent, had similar mechanical properties to existing hydrogel contact lenses, and had a water content in the order of 70% that yields an oxygen permeability comparable to other short-term wear hydrogel lenses. 18 Its excellent transparency would allow an ophthalmic review of the cornea without having to remove the lens, and this feature does not appear to be altered with the addition of AmpB. These hydrogels can be manufactured reproducibly and in an environmentally friendly way because they gel from aqueous solutions at room temperature requiring no harsh solvents, such as those used in the production of silicone hydrogel contact lenses.…”

“…The gels, with AmpB, as expected and corroborated by previous work, were not cytotoxic toward the HCE-T cell line. 18 An appropriate next step will be to investigate the AmpB gel in a diseased animal model or an ex vivo model of bacterial keratitis.…”

“…The positive control (Su PeK PO 4 ), a Su 60 14 gel loaded with phosphate, was cytotoxic toward the HCE-T cell line as already determined for this cell line. 18…”

“…We demonstrated that peK gels are noncytotoxic to a human corneal epithelial cell line (HCE-T). 18 Furthermore, the amine functional groups in the polymer backbone can be used for the chemical attachment of a range of biomolecules to aid drug delivery. Amphotericin B (AmpB) is one of the first-line therapies against C. albicans keratitis.…”