Aflibercept Loaded Eye‐Drop Hydrogel Mediated with Cell‐Penetrating Peptide for Corneal Neovascularization Treatment

Abstract

Corneal neovascularization (CoNV) is a major cause of visual impairment worldwide. Currently, available treatment options have limited efficacy and are associated with adverse effects due to biological barriers and clearance mechanisms. To address this challenge, a novel topical delivery system is developed—Gel 2_1&Eylea—an aflibercept‐loaded eye‐drop hydrogel mediated with cell‐penetrating peptide 1. Gel 2_1&Eylea demonstrates superior membrane permeability, increased stability, and prolonged drug retention time on the ocular surface, and thus may improve drug efficacy. In a rabbit CoNV model, Gel 2_1&Eylea significantly reduces the density of neovascularization with no adverse effects on normal corneoscleral limbal vessels, demonstrating high efficacy and biocompatibility. This work identifies a promising treatment for CoNV which has the potential to benefit other ocular neovascular diseases.

A Dual-Responsive Peptide Hydrogel Protects Normal Cells from Anticancer Drug Treatments

“…Our experiments have shown that multiple cell lines can be cultured within the peptide hydrogel with high cell viability, enabling cells to grow into complex morphology. As a result, the peptide hydrogel developed shows great promise as a versatile tool for a variety of biomedical applications, including drug release, drug screening, and tissue engineering. ,− …”