Apparatuses, methods, and compositions for the treatment and prophylaxis of chronic wounds

A composition for applying to a tissue dressing for reducing excessive matrix metalloprotease activity, comprising:

• a sacrificial matrix metalloprotease substrate comprising gelatin and having exposed peptide sequences adapted to serve as signals for matrix metalloprotease binding;
• a lipoic acid derivative;
• and
• a chelating agent comprising ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid for reducing matrix metalloprotease activity.

A wound dressing, comprising:

• a porous polyurethane material;
• and
• a composition comprising a sacrificial proteolytic enzyme substrate and a lipoic acid derivative, the composition provided on at least a portion of the porous polyurethane material;
• wherein the lipoic acid derivative is a dihydrolipoic acid comprising the structure:
• wherein n1 and n2 are, independently, C1-C10 alkyl;
• R1 is H, C1-C10 alkyl, C6-C14 aryl, an alkyl ammonium or a protonated amino acid;
• and
• R2 is H, C1-C10 alkyl or C6-C14 aryl.