Developed hydrogel releases drug only in the presence of bacteria

Brown University scientists have developed a new material that responds rapidly to developing infections and can only release drug when pathogenic bacteria are present. The material is thought to be particularly effective against antibiotic resistance.

Intended for use as dressings

Smart or responsive hydrogels are expected to play an important role in drug delivery as they either accelerate or slow drug release in response to temperature, pH, and other factors. Building on this, the team developed a hydrogel that is sensitive to beta-lactamases, a class of enzymes released by a variety of harmful bacteria.

The new hydrogel, consisting of a cross-linked polymer network to encapsulate nanoparticles like antibiotics, breaks down the polymer network in the presence of beta-lactamases, releasing therapeutic nanoparticles trapped inside.

Research team’s Anita Shukla: “We have developed an intelligent bacteria-triggered drug delivery system. Our hypothesis is that technologies like this can reduce both side effects and the potential for resistance, which reduces the amount of drugs needed for effective treatment.” said.

The team has a In a series of laboratory experiments, he observed that the material was indeed sensitive to beta-lactamases and that there was no deterioration in its structure, except for beta-lactamase. The researchers want to continue to develop and test the material so that it can eventually be used in the clinical setting as a dressing that can respond to immediate infections.