Investigation of Poly(ester urea) Properties and Their Use Towards Infection Control in Medical Devices

Abstract

To this day, there is a need for biomedical materials, specifically as it relates to surgical implants. Poly(ester urea)s (PEUs) are a class of amorphous, highly tunable, and resorbable polymers that can cover a large window of mechanical and physical properties. By focusing on a biologically compatible material that is based on naturally occurring amino acids, we can combat adverse side effects, such as inflammation, commonly associated with other polymeric devices on the market. In this work, we synthesized and thoroughly characterized a diverse library of PEUs and performed further testing in vivo with a select subset to monitor their breakdown. We were able to identify trends in degradation based on water uptake profiles. This could ultimately assist in improved and informed biomaterial selection moving forward.Additionally, a direct application was explored with PEUs for the delivery of antibiotics. Bacterial infections pose a large threat in the clinic that can lead to repeated invasive surgeries and even patient mortality. Therefore, designing a biodegradable pouch that provides controlled site-specific therapy is of great interest. Our formulation focuses on the dual release of minocycline and rifampin which are combined with the polymer matrix itself. Herein, we experiment with a valine and phenylalanine PEU copolymer. Our results demonstrate that the drug-loaded, electrospun nanofiber mats are effective against various strains of staphylococci species in vitro and can completely eradicate S. aureus after 14 days in a rabbit model. This part of the research highlights our PEU device as a promising candidate for preventing infections.