On demand antimicrobial iodine in a wound contact matrix

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Wound infection is the single-most
important complication encountered in the management of chronic non-healing
wounds. More than 10 million US patients per annum, at a cost of greater than
$10 billion, receive treatment for chronic wounds. Microorganisms not only
interfere with the wound healing process but use open areas as portals of entry
for systemic infection. Current clinical strategies rely on the use of topical
or systemic antibiotics for controlling wound bioburden. In Phase I we proposed
studying the feasibility of incorporating wound exudate responsive chemistry
capable of producing elemental iodine directly into a moist wound dressing
material. Iodine is antimicrobial at non-toxic levels for tissue but is
extremely unstable in its antimicrobial I2 form. Our proposal involved
encapsulation of iodine precursors along with conversion chemistry directly
into a well known wound contact material. The Phase I results found that
signals commonly found in wound exudate fluid triggered the conversion of
iodine precursors to antimicrobial elemental iodine. The Phase II studies are
aimed at refining the chemistry of the reaction to provide greater control on
the rates of production and sustained release of the iodine. Completion of
these studies will yield a novel wound sensing antimicrobial dressing for
controlling wound bioburden.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: NOT AVAILABLE