(500b) Antibiotic Delivery From Degradable Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films

Medical conditions are often exacerbated by the onset of infection caused by hospital dwelling bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics taken orally or intravenously often require large and frequent doses to target an infected site. This kind of treatment can eradicate the beneficial bacteria in our bodies and lead to the development of drug resistant strains. An alternative that could alleviate many of the problems associated with conventional treatments is to use localized delivery of existing therapeutics directly at the site of infection. This would require a smaller dosage targeting only the infected site. Our work focuses on the use of polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEMs) for the local delivery of existing and highly effective antibiotics targeting S. aureus. These films can coat a variety of surfaces for local delivery, potentially including wound healing and implant materials. We have examined hydrolytically degradable layer-by-layer (LBL) constructed films, utilizing poly(β-aminoesters), for the delivery of a potent antibiotic, vancomycin hydrochloride. This antibiotic is often used as the first line of defense against many drug resistant bacteria strains. Current results show the technique to be highly effective for vancomycin delivery over a range of hours to several days, with a large initial release of drug from the film intended to immediately eliminate the surrounding bacteria. The film released vancomycin retains its activity against S. aureus. Various film architectures and construction methods, including aqueous dipped LBL and spray LBL assembly, are being explored to achieve the most desirable vancomycin release properties. Concurrent delivery with anti-inflammatories is also being examined for various therapeutic applications.