Superbug-Resistant Bandages :: MaterialsViews.
Clearing up an existing infection, for example, requires a high-dosage ‘blast’ of antibiotics, whereas preventing infection from developing (or re-occurring) needs a lower concentration but regular repeated dose. One such delivery mechanism has been the subject of recent research by Professor Paula Hammond and her team at MIT. The team has developed a coating that can be applied either by dip-coating or spray-coating, using a layer-by-layer assembly technique to build a multilayered, degradable polymer film with vancomycin molecules trapped between the layers. The key to achieving multifunctionality in a single coating (which might be up to 60 layers thick) lies in the different assembly techniques. The drug molecules diffuse more effectively into dip-coated layers than into the spray-coated layers, meaning that the release of the drug as the film degrades is slower and steadier. Initial results with the coatings are promising, with delivery of a strong initial therapeutic dose of vancomycin, followed by a regular, steady dose at high enough concentrations to inhibit re-infection. The film eluent was also checked for toxicity towards healthy cells, and came up clean, making this an important step forward in medical care, particularly in post-operative and battlefield casualty settings.
