A team of researchers from the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) and the Biomedical Research Networking Center – Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), in collaboration with the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), the Hospital Clínic-Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) with the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), and the Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí, has developed a pioneering antibacterial coating for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) surfaces, offering a promising solution to prevent infections in biomedical implants.
TPU is widely used in medical devices such as catheters, prosthetics, and implantable sensors due to its flexibility and biocompatibility. However, bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on these surfaces can lead to serious infections. The newly developed nanostructured coating effectively inhibits bacterial growth, significantly reducing the risk of infection without relying on antibiotics.
The study demonstrates that this innovative material not only prevents bacterial colonization but also preserves the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of TPU, making it a highly suitable solution for long-term medical applications. Unlike conventional antimicrobial treatments, this approach helps combat the growing issue of antibiotic resistance, ensuring a safer and more sustainable strategy for infection prevention.
Beyond improving patient safety, this breakthrough has the potential to transform the biomedical industry by extending the lifespan of TPU-based medical devices and reducing healthcare costs associated with implant-related infections. The research team is now working towards further validation and industrial collaboration to accelerate its clinical implementation.
The results of this study have been published in ACS Applied Bio Materials: Activating Thermoplastic Polyurethane Surfaces with Poly(ethylene glycol)-Based Recombinant Human α-Defensin 5 Monolayers for Antibiofilm Activity; by Xavier Rodríguez Rodríguez, Adrià López-Cano, Karla Mayolo-Deloisa, Oscar Q. Pich, Paula Bierge, Nora Ventosa, Cristina García-de-la-Maria, José M. Miró, Oriol Gasch, Jaume Veciana, Judith Guasch, Anna Arís, Elena Garcia-Fruitós, Imma Ratera, the FUNCATH investigators.
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00732
With this discovery, ICMAB-CSIC and its collaborators reaffirm their commitment to developing cutting-edge nanotechnology solutions to tackle pressing challenges in modern medicine. This innovation marks a significant step forward in enhancing the safety and durability of biomedical implants.
