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Korean researchers have developed a smart wound patch that could be a potential alternative to ointments and bandages.
A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) developed what it described as a "self-regulating" wound healing patch that combines organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a drug delivery system.
HOW IT WORKS
The patch features a 630-nanometre OLED that delivers light evenly to induce cell regeneration while releasing controlled amounts of antioxidant drugs, such as Centella asiatica extract, also known as tiger grass.
The patch uses reactive oxygen species (ROS), produced during light-based photobiomodulation, as a trigger for drug release from embedded nanoparticles.
"The amount of [ROS] generated varies according to the intensity of light, and the amount of drug release is naturally regulated accordingly," KAIST said in a media release.
Simply put, ROS acts as a biological switch that regulates how much of the drug is released in response to light exposure.
The wearable form factor is designed to reduce light energy loss and maintain a temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius during prolonged use.
FINDINGS
Findings published in Materials Horizons showed that, in an in vivo mouse model, the combined OLED and drug treatment achieved a 67% wound closure rate after 14 days, compared with 47% for light therapy alone, 57% for the drug-only treatment, and 35% for controls.
A tissue analysis, meanwhile, indicated improved skin barrier reconstruction, including thicker regenerated epidermal layers, as well as reduced blood vessel density, consistent with more advanced healing.
In cell-based wound models, the combined treatment accelerated healing compared with either approach alone, with recovery rates reaching about 31% after 72 hours.
The researchers also identified an optimal light dose of 6 Joules per square centimetre, at which the system restored ROS levels in the wound model to near-normal levels.
Moreover, the study confirmed that the OLED patch maintained stable light output for about 434 hours, equivalent to roughly 1,300 treatment sessions under a 20-minute protocol, while operating at skin-safe temperatures. Researchers said this points to its potential for repeated, long-term use.
WHY IT MATTERS
KAIST said the research aimed to overcome limitations of existing wound treatments, particularly ointments and non-invasive low-intensity light therapy.
"Ointments can cause side effects when overused, while the effects of photobiomodulation treatment, which helps cell regeneration using light, can decrease after exceeding an appropriate amount."
The study instead demonstrates a feedback-controlled approach that links light exposure and drug release through ROS levels, rather than fixed dosing.
The plan now, according to study lead and KAIST professor Kyung Cheol Choi, is to develop the combined OLED and drug treatment into "an intelligent treatment technology that can be applied to various wounds and diseases and [that] reacts on its own according to the patient's body condition."
The research received support from the National Research Foundation of Korea under the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT.
THE LARGER TREND
Similar projects in Singapore have been developed to monitor and manage chronic wounds. In 2023, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering introduced an AI-powered smart patch, which runs without a battery and can determine wound healing status within 15 minutes.
Another NUS research team, in collaboration with iHealthtech and Singapore General Hospital, earlier developed a chip-based smart wound sensing bandage for live chronic wound assessment.
