E.W. Tate, E.G. Wrigglesworth
Inhibit Coatings,
New Zealand
Keywords: antimicrobial, polymer, medical device
Summary:
Despite the proven clinical potential for antimicrobial medical devices to reduce infection rates, uptake of these devices has been limited because achieving high levels of efficacy while remaining cost-effective continues to be a significant challenge. Traditional additive-based antimicrobial coatings rely on the release of their active ingredient, limiting performance over time and introducing potential risk to patients. Additionally, coating materials and processing steps increase the cost of device manufacture. We present a non-additive approach to antimicrobials, utilizing well-known antimicrobial metals in a unique polymer composite system. The active ingredient is synthesized within the polymer, resulting in a chemical bond between the polymer and the metal. This produces a broad-spectrum antimicrobial material that is non-leaching, non-cytotoxic, and demonstrates long-lasting efficacy. This includes high antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and negative bacteria, fungi, and even multidrug resistant strains including MRSA and Candida auris. This process is compatible with a range of polymers including polyurethanes, acrylates, and polyamides, and is therefore applicable to various medical devices. Non-additive antimicrobials are cheaper, longer-lasting, and safer than the traditional additive method. They represent a new approach to the application of antimicrobial materials to reduce healthcare-acquired infections that can be easily integrated into devices allowing increased functionality without the cost implications of traditional antimicrobials.