Anion-paired Cationic Metallocene-containing Compounds and Polymers as Antimicrobial Agents

Description:

Reference #: 01016

The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for new types of cationic organometallic compounds and metal-containing polymers, or "metallopolymers," for drug-resistant, antimicrobial applications.

Invention Description:

The subject invention demonstrates the utilization of cationic metallocene moeities that exhibit antimicrobial properties when paired with a variety of different anions. These organometallic molecules and their charged metallopolymers inhibit a broad spectrum of pathogens, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and many kinds of multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).

Potential Applications:

  • Antimicrobial agents

Advantages and Benefits:

  1. Effective against bacteria, including those resistant to conventional antibiotics

  2. Cationic metallocene moieties display high stability, unique redox property and potential bioactivity, which have made them promising candidates for new biomaterials.

  3. Cationic metallopolymers combine the processing advantages of polymers with the functionality provided by the presence of metal centers.

Testing and Development:

The field emission scanning electron microscopy images below illustrate the lytic breakdown of healthcare-acquired MRSA, a potentially deadly superbug, before (left) and after (right) incubation with antimicrobial agents.

Background:

Because of their metal centers and specially-designed organic frames, organometallic compounds and polymers have unique properties that allow them to be used in medicinal chemistry such as drugs, drug delivery substrates, and enzyme inhibitors. One example of organometallic molecules are cationic metallocene moieties, which have become promising candidates for new biomaterials because of their high stability, unique redox property and potential bioactivity.

Similarly, cationic polymers have also attracted much attention because of their low drug resistance and ability to disrupt the cytoplasmic membranes of bacteria. Furthermore, cationic metallopolymers combine the processing advantages of polymers with the functionality provided by the presence of metal centers. Cationic polymers are continually being used in antimicrobial materials, antifouling coatings, packaging, and drug delivery.

The combination of cationic metallocene moieties and cationic polymers create the potential for novel drugs and antimicrobial materials.

Patent Information:
Title App Type Country Serial No. Patent No. File Date Issued Date Expire Date Patent Status
Anion-Paired Cationic Metallocene-Containing Compounds and Polymers as Antimicrobial Agents Utility United States 14/245,445 9,402,394 4/4/2014 8/2/2016    
For Information, Contact:
Technology Commercialization
University of South Carolina
technology@sc.edu
Inventors:
Chuanbing Tang
Jiuyang Zhang
Yung-Pin Chen
Alan Decho
Keywords:
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