Control Release Coating for Urinary Catheters with Enhanced Released Profile for Sustained Antimicrobial Protection

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a significant healthcare burden.
• Current antimicrobial catheters lack optimal functionality and sustained performance.
• Previous work established polycaprolactone (PCL) for controlled release of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an enhanced AMP-impregnated coating for urinary catheters with improved sustained controlled-release properties.
• To optimize the polymer blend composition for effective antimicrobial delivery.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial performance and anti-biofilm capabilities of the novel coating.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of anhydrous polymer coatings using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and PCL copolymers.
• Tuning PEG and PEG-PCL ratios to control polymer morphology and AMP release profiles.
• Application of the optimized coating to commercial silicone catheters.
• Antibacterial efficacy testing and biofilm formation assays over multiple inoculation cycles.

Main Results:

• An optimal coating with 10% (w/w) PEG-PCL in PCL achieved a sustained AMP release of 31.65 ± 6.85 μg/mL daily for 19 days.
• The coating demonstrated superior antimicrobial performance and sustainability compared to commercial silver-based catheters over 4 days.
• Significant reduction in biofilm formation was observed after seven inoculation cycles.

Conclusions:

• The developed PEG-PCL coating provides effective, sustained antimicrobial activity against CAUTI-causing pathogens.
• This advanced coating represents a promising strategy to enhance catheter safety and reduce healthcare-associated infections.
• The controlled-release mechanism, with initial burst and sustained release, offers dual protection against bacterial colonization.