In a major breakthrough, a scientist from IIT Kanpur has developed an agarose based advanced wound dressing for chronic patients. Agarose is a natural polymer derived from seaweed and is biodegradable.

Developed by Dr. Vivek Verma, the dressing apart from being biodegradable does not produce any immune response. He has developed it from a sustainable source by adding several additive molecules like iodine and citric acid.

Evaluation of the role several active molecules like sericin, iodine, and citric acid added to this novel dressing along with that of agarose is being done to study how it heals the wound. The dressing in particular will help in treatment of infected diabetic wounds. It can be used as single layer, bilayer, or multi-layered depending on the severity and type of wound.

The dressing is in the third stage of the Technology Readiness Level and it has been tested on a rat model with a small-sized circular wound with single layer dressing with only one active ingredient. Following this it will be tested for efficacy of large wounds in big animals like rabbits or pigs.

The final stage will include clinical trials after which commercialization of the invention will follow.

Verma said that the advanced wound dressing could be converted into a commercial product for advanced wound care, while providing an active bandage for treatment of chronic wounds at competitive cost.

Interestingly, the advanced wound dressing market in India is largely monopolized by foreign companies and this indigenous invention will not just be cost-effective but also a move towards making India Aatmanirbhar.