Chronic wounds, especially those caused by diabetes or circulatory disorders, are a widespread medical problem that burden healthcare systems. Patients often suffer from open skin lesions that fail to heal for months or even years. This is primarily due to an exaggerated immune response where the body remains trapped in a continuous loop of overactive inflammatory activity. Such wounds are difficult to treat with conventional methods and can significantly impact patients' quality of life. Now, a new solution has been developed to tackle the underlying causes of chronic wounds by targeting inflammatory signals and promoting healing.

The solution was created by researchers at ETH Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland) in collaboration with Immunosponge (Zurich, Switzerland), a start-up co-founded by one of the researchers. The product, a selective, sponge-like hydrogel, is designed to capture pro-inflammatory signals from the tissue while simultaneously supporting regenerative processes. The hydrogel consists of microgels that create a soft, sponge-like structure capable of selectively binding harmful inflammatory molecules. Inspired by nature's efficient transport systems in unicellular organisms, this intelligent wound dressing offers a way to guide a wound out of the inflammatory state and instruct it to regenerate, promoting faster and more efficient healing.

The wound dressing was tested and validated through research and initial development. The technology was published in Nature Communications, demonstrating its potential for chronic wound care. This innovative dressing targets the root cause of the healing process, unlike existing methods that focus only on symptom management. The hydrogel is also being explored for use in internal tissue damage, such as bones, cartilage, and tendons. The team is actively working on refining the technology, with a focus on patient customization and broader applications for different diseases. The researchers aim to continue developing the technology with the long-term goal of making it commercially available.

“We want to guide a wound out of the inflammatory state and give it the right instructions for healing,” said Börte Emiroglu, Pioneer Fellow at ETH Zurich and co-founder of Immunosponge. “We want to aid the tissue to signal that now is the time for regeneration.”

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