Globally, an estimated 12.7 million people are waiting for a cornea transplant, which is the outermost clear layer of the eye. However, a new study on corneas made from pig skin showed that the material is capable of restoring vision in blind people.
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Biomaterial made from pig skin collagen
Seeking alternatives, researchers from Linköping University, in Sweden, developed a biomaterial made from pig skin collagen. The implants used in the study replicated the human cornea (the part that covers the iris and pupil and lets in light).
The scientists looked for answers in protein molecules derived from pig epidermis (after having already gone through a purification process for use in humans). They also point to pigskin as an economically viable and readily available feedstock.
The pilot study using the epidermis of pigs
On apilot studypublished in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the scientists report that the implants were safe and restored successfully the vision of 20 volunteers, 14 of them (the majority) could not see anything before the procedure.
Within the trials, patients living in India and Iran were suffering from a condition called keratoconus, in which the cornea gradually thins and bulges. According to the study, vision improved in all patients 24 months after receiving the implants.
The authors of the study - a team of researchers from Sweden, India and Iran - hope that the implants can replace the treatments used in corneal transplants, which are difficult to to obtain.
Experts estimate that about 12.7 million people are waiting for corneas to be donated. That's counting on an average of only one cornea available for every 70 people who need a transplant, according to the study.
The results of this study
Scientists have shown that it is possible to develop a biomaterial that meets all the criteria for use as a human implant. If so, it could be mass-produced and stored for up to two years, benefiting more people with vision problems.
In this way, the research opens up the prospect of helping to overcome the scarcity of donated corneal tissue and will lead to other treatments for eye diseases.