Antimicrobial Coating

Important results from the project

The aim was that to within the project confirm the antifungal function of the antifungal coating developed by Nanexa, with the aim to use it on the peripheral venous catheters of BD. The animal tests were not enough to confirm the function of the coating, although a new and more suitable coating has been developed and it is currently tested by BD. We will continue to evaluate the antifungal coating by means of an in vitro model. The coating will in the future be used on products adapted for the digestive and gastric systems.

Expected long term effects

The antifungal coating was developed and coated successfully onto catheters. The catheters were tested in a pig model with the expectation that the coating should reduce biofilm formation and in-growth of Candida on the device. This could not be proven since in-growth on uncoated samples was absent, which caused lack of relevant reference. The number of placed catheters that made it through the test period were too few to get significant statistics. However, the project has deepened our understanding of the system.

Approach and implementation

The project was carried out by developing of the antifungal coating and application of the coating onto catheters. Its function was tested in a pig model. Attaching products peripherally on pigs presented a larger challange than expected and many of the products were destroyed during the test period. Furthermore, it became obvious that peripheral venous catheters not was the most suitable product for this kind of coating and Nanexa has now re-focused to products used within the digestive and gastric systems, such as voice prostheses and feed tubes.