Infection-Resistant Silver Coatings for Biomaterials

Infections are becoming a significant problem associated with the use of most types of medical devithe need for biomaterials with antimicrobial properties has gotten increasingly more important. Theis to develop an antimicrobial surface coating for central venous catheters using BSI's proprietarytechnology. This project will employ silver as the antimicrobial agent The Phase l objectives are toreagents that will permit the incorporation of silver ions into the coating matrix; demonstrate effiof these reagents to biomaterial surfaces commonly used in the fabrication of central venous cathetepolyurethane, polyethylene); show reduced bacterial adherence and colonization on modified surfacescontrol materials; investigate the longevity of the antimicrobial activity; demonstrate no in vitrodemonstrate in vivo antimicrobial efficacy. The long-range objective of this project is to develop acoating that is useful for central venous catheters and which maintains device sterility as long aslikelihood of resistant organisms emerging.