Antimicrobial Wound Protectant
Abstract
This project aligns with the PRORP FY19 ARA Focus Area of Limb Stabilization and Protection. Service members currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan or in future deployments are continuously at risk of being injured by IED or RPG explosions. Traumatic wounds need to be stabilized quickly. Bacteria that dwell in soil and dirt live in communities known as biofilms, and these biofilms can contaminate a wound at the point of injury. They can be difficult to eradicate and lead to serious infections. We are working on the development of a wound protectant that specifically eradicates contaminating biofilms in a wound immediately following trauma, so the biofilms have less risk of causing serious infections. Immediate application of therapies to eradicate these contaminating bacteria is recognized as an effective way to decrease infection risk; however, applying these solutions under active combat conditions can be challenging. Solutions that make this process easier for both Soldiers and battlefield medical personnel are urgently needed to help decrease the risk of subsequent infections in Wounded Warriors. We are developing a functional wound protectant designed to be rapidly and easily deployed by military medical personnel on the battlefield to help kill biofilm bacteria that contaminate traumatic battlefield wounds. If the wound protectant is successful at eradicating biofilms and stabilizing a traumatic wound free of infection, data obtained in this project will be an important step in a full product development program that will ultimately lead to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory approval, U.S. commercialization of the wound protectant, and availability to the U.S. military for both immediate combat care needs and to meet similar needs in the broader civilian population that suffers traumatic injuries. Short-Term Impact: Immediate outcomes from this project include (1) a formulated wound protectant and associated benchtop testing, (2) a sheep model of biofilm-related infection following traumatic blast injury, and (3) preclinical safety and efficacy data of the wound protectant in the sheep model that specifically targets the biofilm phenotype. This data set is expected to be enough to support meetings with the U.S. FDA to help define the preclinical, clinical, and regulatory pathways to approval and to initiate a full product development program leading to approval, commercialization, and clinical availability. Long-Term Impact: There are currently little to no wound protectant products that can specifically eradicate established biofilms that contaminate a traumatic wound site. As warfronts become more far forward, meaning they will take place deep into very broad landscapes, infection will be an even greater concern than it has in the past as forward triage units may not be as readily accessible. The long-term objective is to develop a wound protectant that can stabilize a traumatic wound by eradicating biofilm-dwelling organisms in the period between injury and arrival at a facility where damaged tissue can be repaired. This will help mitigate the risk of infection, decrease the likelihood of associated adverse outcomes including surgical revisions and amputations, improve healing outcomes, and shorten the time to return to full function for both Soldiers and civilians.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2010378
Entities
People
- Dustin L Williams
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Utah