The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7312 p216
14 August 2004

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Dendrimer hope for scar prevention

Dendrimers (tree-like molecules formed from branched polymers) that are designed to have immunomodulatory and antiangiogenic properties can be used to prevent scar tissue formation, laboratory studies suggest.

Researchers applied dendrimers of glucosamine, which suppress the immune response, and glucosamine 6-sulphate, which prevent formation of blood vessels, to the eyes of rabbits undergoing glaucoma-related eye surgery.

A combination of the two dendrimers reduced inflammation, which led to minimal scarring and improved healing (the overall success rate of surgery increased from 30 per cent to 80 per cent).

The researchers, from the School of Pharmacy, University of London, the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, the Institute of Ophthalmology, and two London hospitals, conclude that aminosaccharide dendrimer conjugates are a “new class of therapeutically useful macromolecules for preventing scar tissue formation” (Nature Biotechnology 2004;22:977).