In Situ‐Gelling Antimicrobial Poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate)‐Based Hydrogels Integrating Bound Quaternary Ammonia Compounds and Antibiotic Functionalities for Effective Infected Wound Healing

In situ-gelling poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) (POEGMA)-based hydrogels exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria based on the dual covalent attachment of quaternary ammonium (QA) groups and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) into the hydrogel networks, enabling effective in vivo burn wound disinfection while supporting functional skin regeneration.

Abstract

In situ-gelling antibacterial hydrogels are reported in which two antibacterial entities (quaternary ammonium (QA) groups and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP)) are tethered to a single precursor based on the anti-fouling polymer poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) (POEGMA). Synergism between the QA and CIP tethers is demonstrated to enable broad-spectrum killing and/or disinfection of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria both in vitro and in vivo while also supporting improved functional recovery of uninjured skin morphology. Coupled with the suitable mechanics, swelling capacity, and stability of the gels, the multi-mechanism antibacterial properties of the hydrogels offer promise for treating or preventing infections of burn wounds.