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Peripheral nerve Gel-based Orientation (Peripheral nerve injury recovery using Gel-based Orientation)

Descripción del proyecto

Un gel inyectable para la regeneración de nervios periféricos

El daño en los nervios periféricos se trata en la actualidad mediante autoinjertos de nervios, puentes artificiales y tubos neurales, pero el éxito es marginal. Los científicos del proyecto PeriGO, financiado con fondos europeos, están desarrollando una estrategia de reparación de nervios periféricos basada en un hidrogel inyectable biocompatible. La ventaja principal de este método es que contiene elementos de guía y posee propiedades materiales ajustables de manera que, al inyectarse, se ajusta al nervio dañado y adopta una forma en función de este. PeriGO probará este método innovador en un modelo preclínico de lesiones del nervio ciático antes de su uso clínico.

Objetivo

PeriGO will pave the way for the commercialization of a unique, first-of-its-kind peripheral nerve repair strategy, as it uses an injectable, biocompatible hydrogel that provides directionality through controlled guiding elements. The properties of the smart material Anisogel, initially developed in the ERC project ANISOGEL to repair spinal cord injuries, provide a sophisticated, superior alternative for peripheral nerve regeneration. The final product can be injected inside a bridging blood vessel or artificial hollow tube after implantation to direct regenerating nerves across the injury site.
PeriGO comprises 3 key actions to advance a quick translation from the laboratory to the clinic: We will 1) establish a sterilization method and a packaging/application system to perform pre-clinical tests, 2) verify the handling and efficacy of the product in a rat sciatic nerve lesion model in cooperation with the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University Hospital in Aachen, and 3) complete a market study and business plan to bring PeriGO into the clinic.
PeriGO addresses essential issues associated with peripheral nerve regeneration. While the current Gold Standard of autologous nerve grafts creates a secondary defect, artificial bridging approaches for nerve gaps only reconnect short distances (< 3 cm) with marginal success. Features absent in the commercially available nerve tubes are guiding structures, controlled degradation, and a good interface with the damaged nerve stumps. The PeriGO platform will overcome these limitations as the material 1) is injected as a liquid to make a tight contact with the injured nerve and to adapt to the shape of the bridging tube before gelation, 2) provides unidirectional guiding elements, and 3) presents tunable material properties with tunable degradation kinetics adjusting to the length of the nerve gap. With PeriGO, we will thus establish the next generation of nerve repair strategies.

Régimen de financiación

ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant

Institución de acogida

DWI LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR INTERAKTIVE MATERIALIEN EV
Aportación neta de la UEn
€ 120 000,00
Dirección
FORCKENBECKSTRASSE 50
52074 Aachen
Alemania

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Región
Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Städteregion Aachen
Tipo de actividad
Research Organisations
Enlaces
Coste total
€ 120 000,00

Beneficiarios (2)