This Sticky Patch Adheres Directly to Mouth Ulcers and Delivers Steroids

Scientists from the University of Sheffield School of Clinical Dentistry in collaboration with Dermat A/S, a Danish firm has created a Rivelin patch. This sticky patch adheres directly to the mucosal surfaces of the lesions or ulcers inside the mouth and delivers steroids directly to the affected area. Currently, doctors prescribe mouthwashes or ointments for the treatment of lesions or ulcers inside the mouth. But owing to the sticky nature of mucus, they are applied over the entire mouth rather than target a specific region. But the new biodegradable patch made of special polymers has the ability to stick to the mucosal surface for longer duration and thereby delivers steroids directly to lesions.

So, the targeted drug delivery accelerates the healing process compared to the conventional procedure. The biodegradable patch made from electrospun nanofibres has a non-toxic adhesive layer on the inside and a backing layer on the other. So, this allows the patch to successfully administer the steroid directly to the lesion, overcoming the sticky nature of the mouth. The new patch offers a ray of hope for patients suffering from Oral lichen Palus (OLP) and recurrent aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) with painful lesions.

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The team then tested the effectiveness of a sticky patch in laboratory conditions. The results are encouraging, the patch is able to remain adhered inside the mouth for a period of two hours.  The patients are also satisfied owing to the adhesion time and also the patch is comfortable to wear. Dermat A/S receives enough funding to proceed to phase two clinical trials set to take place in various sites in the US and UK.

The Research study is published in the journal Biomaterials.