A novel alternative to corneal transplantation, a synthetic, biocompatible and adhesive liquid hydrogel, has been developed by researchers and clinicians in North America, Europe, and Oceania. The team was co-led by May Griffith, a researcher at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre, which is affiliated with Université de Montréal and is part of the CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.
"Our work has led to an effective and accessible solution called LiQD Cornea to treat corneal perforations without the need for transplantation," said Griffith. She is also a full professor in the department of ophthalmology at Université de Montréal. "This is good news for the many patients who are unable to undergo this operation due to a severe worldwide shortage of donor corneas," she said. "Until now, patients on the waiting list have had their perforated corneas sealed with a medical-grade super glue, but this is only a short-term solution because it is often poorly tolerated in the eye, making transplantation necessary."
A synthetic, biocompatible and adhesive liquid hydrogel, LiQD Cornea, is applied as a liquid, but quickly adheres and gels within the corneal tissue. The LiQD Cornea promotes tissue regeneration, thus treating corneal perforations without the need for transplantation.
Griffith praised the work of her trainees, Christopher McTiernan and Fiona Simpson, and her collaborators from around the world who have helped create a potentially revolutionary treatment to help people with vision loss avoid going blind.
"Vision is the sense that allows us to appreciate how the world around us looks," said Griffith. "Allowing patients to retain this precious asset is what motivates our actions as researchers every day of the week."
For Sylvain Lemieux, president and CEO of the CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, "this innovative treatment in ophthalmology confirms the level of expertise of the Centre universitaire d'ophtalmologie de l'Université de Montréal (CUO) at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (HMR).
Abstract
Transplantation with donor corneas is the mainstay for treating corneal blindness, but a severe worldwide shortage necessitates the development of other treatment options. Corneal perforation from infection or inflammation is sealed with cyanoacrylate glue. However, the resulting cytotoxicity requires transplantation. LiQD Cornea is an alternative to conventional corneal transplantation and sealants. It is a cell-free, liquid hydrogel matrix for corneal regeneration, comprising short collagen-like peptides conjugated with polyethylene glycol and mixed with fibrinogen to promote adhesion within tissue defects. Gelation occurs spontaneously at body temperature within 5 min. Light exposure is not required—particularly advantageous because patients with corneal inflammation are typically photophobic. The self-assembling, fully defined, synthetic collagen analog is much less costly than human recombinant collagen and reduces the risk of immune rejection associated with xenogeneic materials. In situ gelation potentially allows for clinical application in outpatient clinics instead of operating theaters, maximizing practicality, and minimizing health care costs.
Authors
Christopher D McTiernan, Fiona C Simpson, Michel Haagdorens, Chameen Samarawickrama, Damien Hunter, Oleksiy Buznyk, Per Fagerholm, Monika K Ljunggren, Philip Lewis, Isabel Pintelon, David Olsen, Elle Edin, Marc Groleau, Bruce D Allan, May Griffith
[link url="https://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/article/2020/06/30/a-revolutionary-new-treatment-alternative-to-corneal-transplantation/"]University of Montreal material[/link]
[link url="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/25/eaba2187"]Science Advances abstract[/link]