Multifunctional MOF-based Microneedle Patch with Synergistic Chemo-photodynamic Antibacterial Effect and Sustained Release of Growth Factor for Chronic Wound Healing.

Chronic wound healing is a major challenge in biomedicine. Conventional therapies are usually associated with poor drug permeability, low bioavailability, risk of antimicrobial resistance, and require frequent administration. Therefore, a novel formulation with a reduced antibiotic dosage, improved drug delivery efficiency, and low application frequency is of remarkable interest for chronic wound healing. Herein, we aimed to present a multifunctional microneedle (MN) patch to achieve rapid wound healing via an efficient chemo-photodynamic antibacterial effect and sustained release of growth factors at the wound bed. When the MN patch pierced the skin, MN tips carrying both a low dosage of antibiotics and bioactive small molecule-encapsulated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) rapidly dissolved and subsequently delivered the payloads to the wound. Upon light irradiation, the MOF-based nanoparticles robustly converted O 2 into 1 O 2 , which acted synergistically with chemotherapy to remove pathogenic bacteria from the wound, exhibiting excellent chemo-photodynamic antibacterial performance with a 10-fold reduction in the required antibiotic amount. The nanoparticles could achieve a continuous release of growth factors in the wound tissue, promoting the formation of epithelial tissue and neovascularization, thereby further accelerating chronic wound healing. Collectively, the designed multifunctional MOF-based MN patches offer a simple, safe, and effective alternative for chronic wound management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.