Researchers at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Oxford are exploring the potential of golden orb-web spider silk for developing surgical devices aimed at nerve regeneration. Dr. Alex Woods, a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, leads the start-up Newrotex, which is investigating the application of this unique silk as a scaffold for nerve repair.
The golden orb-web spider, native to southern and eastern Africa, produces a type of silk known as "drag-line silk." This silk has properties that make it particularly suitable for medical applications. When a nerve is severed, the body generates a temporary scaffold for regeneration that lasts about ten days. In contrast, the spider silk can persist for up to 150 days, providing a more robust support structure for nerve growth over larger gaps.
The silk fibers are designed to be implanted into a vein or hollow conduit to facilitate nerve repair and are expected to degrade naturally in the body over time. The development of this device, known as SilkAxons, is considered a significant advancement as it represents the first formal medical application of spider silk.
While there are promising aspects to this innovation, Dr. Woods acknowledges the challenges ahead. The path to regulatory approval and clinical use is complex, and there remains a possibility that the product may never reach patients. However, if successful, it could potentially reduce costs associated with current nerve grafting methods, which often require additional surgery and carry inherent risks.
Currently, the SilkAxons device is undergoing its first-in-human trial in Panama, with plans for further studies in the UK and the US. The research aims to address not only traumatic nerve injuries but also complications arising from surgical procedures, offering a broader range of applications in the medical field.