Silk-hyaluronan-based composite hydrogels: a novel, securable vehicle for drug delivery.

A new, biocompatible hyaluronic acid (HA)-silk hydrogel composite was fabricated and tested for use as a securable drug delivery vehicle. The composite consisted of a hydrogel formed by cross-linking thiol-modified HA with poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate, within which was embedded a reinforcing mat composed of electrospun silk fibroin protein. Both HA and silk are biocompatible, selectively degradable biomaterials with independently controllable material properties.