Gallium inhibits biofilm formation
Inventors
Britigan, Bradley E. • Singh, Pradeep K.
Assignees
University of Iowa Research Foundation UIRF • US Department of Veterans Affairs
Publication Number
US-9539367-B2
Publication Date
2017-01-10
Expiration Date
2024-12-03
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Abstract
The present invention provides a gallium-containing composition for coating/impregnating a device or device surface to prevent biofilm growth formation. The present invention also provides a method of preventing or inhibiting biofilm growth formation. The present invention also provides methods for killing established biofilms.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a gallium-containing composition for coating or impregnating devices or device surfaces to prevent or inhibit biofilm growth formation. It also provides methods for preventing biofilm growth formation on such devices by applying a gallium-containing composition at concentrations sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation. Additionally, methods for killing established biofilms using gallium-containing compositions are disclosed.
The problem addressed relates to bacterial contamination of medical devices caused by biofilm formation, which leads to infections such as nosocomial infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and urinary tract infections. Existing treatments using antibiotics or antiseptics are limited by the emergence of biofilm resistance, making current agents therapeutically ineffective at controlling biofilm growth. There is a need for better methods to target biofilm growth formation in both medical and industrial environments.
The invention solves this problem by utilizing gallium's ability to interfere with bacterial iron metabolism, especially in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Gallium competes with iron for uptake and disrupts iron-dependent enzymes, thereby preventing biofilm formation at concentrations that do not inhibit bacterial growth but are effective at altering biofilm establishment. Furthermore, gallium kills already established biofilms in a time- and concentration-dependent manner at clinically achievable concentrations.
Claims Coverage
The patent claims include two independent methods focused on killing established biofilms using gallium-containing compositions in or on subjects.
Method of killing established biofilms in or on subjects
A method involving identifying a subject with an established biofilm or symptoms thereof and providing to the subject a gallium-containing composition at a concentration sufficient to kill the established biofilm.
The claims center on the therapeutic administration of gallium-containing compositions for the treatment of established biofilms in subjects, specifying delivery methods and types of biofilm organisms targeted, with the core invention being the use of gallium compositions to eradicate biofilms in vivo.
Stated Advantages
Gallium effectively prevents the formation of biofilms at concentrations below those required to inhibit bacterial growth.
Gallium kills established biofilms in a time- and concentration-dependent manner at concentrations achievable clinically.
Gallium's mechanism involves disrupting iron metabolism necessary for biofilm development, offering a novel approach compared to traditional antibiotics and antiseptics.
Documented Applications
Coating or impregnating medical devices such as endotracheal tubes, ventilators, vascular catheters, urinary catheters, surgical devices, prosthetics, stents, and implants to prevent biofilm growth.
Coating or impregnating industrial devices including dental equipment, food processing devices, water-containing apparatuses like swimming pools and storage tanks, water processing and cooling devices, and paper and pulp manufacturing devices to inhibit biofilm formation.
Preventing or treating biofilm-associated infections in human subjects, including lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, burn wound infections, and other biofilm-related diseases.
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