Description:
Reference #: 1710
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Naphthoic Acid-Derived Polymers as Antimicrobial Agents.
Background:
In the last couple of decades, polymers have been utilized in the medicinal industry into various applications such as drug carriers and substrates, enzyme inhibitors, and preservatives, due to their unique structural versatility, stability, and affordable manufacturing cost. Among various polymer motifs, facially amphiphilic antimicrobial polymers have been considered as promising candidates because of their disruptive ability against bacterial membranes. These disruptive interactions would result in the disintegration of the cell membranes, cytoplasmic leakage, and eventually death of pathogens. Most importantly, owing to their membrane-targeting mechanism, bacteria are less likely to gain resistance towards antimicrobial polymers.
Invention Description:
The present invention provides a facile approach to the preparation of facial amphiphilic polymers from naphthoic acid and its derivatives in addition to their modifications. Polymers are prepared in the form of methacrylate and naphthoic acid derivatives. Importantly, those facial amphiphilic naphthoic acid-based polymers contain cationic groups. These amphiphilic polymers with cationic groups and naphthoic acid can be used as antimicrobial agents. These polymers are synthesized through radical polymerization and post-modification.
Potential Applications:
Successful implementation of facial amphiphilicity can enable these polymers to be effective antimicrobial agents against a broad range of gram-negative bacteria and multi-drug resistant (MDR) planktonic pathogens including biofilm-related infections.
Advantages and Benefits:
This polymer invention can be produced on a large scale effectively. It also can be used to kill multi-drug resistant bacteria which gives it a competitive advantage over other anti-microbial products. Further, the target bacteria do not gain a resistance to the new method unlike other existing products, which do develop drug-resistant bacteria.