Pathological neovascularization may cause or worsen intraocular posterior segment diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. Prevention of aberrant vascularization is thus an important clinical target. Therapeutic antiangiogenic agents are generally used in diffusible monomeric formulation (e.g., injection of anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies into the vitreous humor). Here, we report the attachment of a therapeutic antiangiogenic motif to a fibrillizing peptide backbone that undergoes nanofibrous self-assembly into an injectable hydrogel. The peptide can persist for extended periods in a target site, prolonging the therapeutic time frame. The injectability of the hydrogel was investigated through rheometric characterization. Biophysical characterization was complemented by in vitro assays to test the antiangiogenic capability of the scaffold. We also tested persistence and biocompatibility of the hydrogel through in vivo implantation. This injectable hydrogel therapy may unlock potential clinical routes for treating neovascular diseases.
Keywords: aberrant neovascularization; antiangiogenic; hydrogel; nanofibers; self-assembly.