This NIH SBIR project assesses the feasibility of applying a discovery made by the cofounders of Agile Sciences, Inc. to developing a more effective therapeutic strategy toward preventing bacterial infections associated with CSF shunts. Bacterial infections associated with shunts are particularly difficult to treat as bacteria typically form a biofilm on the surface of the shunt. These biofilms act to protect the bacteria from antimicrobial intervention. The cofounders of Agile Sciences, Inc. have discovered a class of novel small molecules that inhibits bacteria9s ability to form biofilms as well as disperses pre-formed bacterial biofilms. The goal of this proposal is to incorporate Agile9s most potent and broadly acting compound, named Agilyte"""""""", into CSF shunt catheters and to assess the antibiofilm and antimicrobial properties of these catheters using in vitro models. To this end, the Specific Aims of this Phase I SBIR Project are: 1. to incorporate Agilyte"""""""" into silicone catheters. 2. To assess biofilm buildup of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on an Agilyte"""""""" + antibiotic impregnated (AAI) silicone catheter using an in vitro model. 3. To assess the enhanced anti - biofilm and antimicrobial properties of an Agilyte"""""""" + antibiotic-impregnated (AAI) silicone catheter toward a clinical sample of bacteria in vitro.
Infections of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts occur in approximately 10% of all patients, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A new strategy for reducing or eliminating these infections would result in substantial increase in quality of life for the hundreds of thousands of people living with hydrocephalus in the United States.
