2019-160: Nitric Oxide Releasing Antibiotic as a Strategy for Combatting and Preventing Bacterial Biofilm Formation

Antibiotic compositions and uses to treat or prevent medical device biofilms have been developed to address a serious problem with implanted medical devices and catheters. Bacteria can transition between a free living, planktonic state and a robust biofilm. Biofilms are bacteria that have encased themselves in a protective hydrated matrix of polysaccharides and proteins and most commonly occur at implanted medical device interfaces. The longer these biomedical devices remain within the body, the higher the risk of infection and formation of these biofilms. These biofilms often lead to chronic inflammation and tissue damage to the affected area. This ultimately leads to increased healthcare costs and discomfort to patients that require these types of long-term implanted devices that are highly prone to infection. Once formed, the administration of antibiotics at hundreds to thousands of times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) have been shown to have little effect on biofilms.This technology addresses the inability to treat biofilms with antibiotics. We have created a molecule that inhibits the formation of or enhances the degradation of biofilms as well as having direct antibiotic activity. The molecule can be administered to the site of biofilm formation or incorporated into polymers used in implanted devices such as catheters. Cory Acuff cacuff@uga.edu 706-542-5682