Metal-Biocide Synergistic Compositions for Antimicrobial Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for rapid drug discovery methods to identify effective drug combinations that inactivate bacteria and provide enhanced antimicrobial control due to antimicrobial resistance issues caused by over-prescription and misuse of antibiotics.
Innovation Solution
Development of an antimicrobial composition comprising a biocide and a Group IB metal, such as gold, silver, or copper, with a coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) less than or equal to 0.5, and a method for screening synergistically effective metal-biocide combinations to inhibit microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional antibiotic combinations are used, then antimicrobial activity is achieved, but antimicrobial resistance develops due to over-prescription and misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines Group IB metals (silver, gold, copper) with existing antibiotics to create synergistic combinations that enhance antimicrobial effectiveness and reduce resistance development. The metal-antibiotic combinations work through complementary mechanisms, with metals providing broad-spectrum activity and antibiotics providing targeted action, thereby improving reliability while mitigating resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite antimicrobial formulations integrating metals and organic antibiotics into unified compositions. These composite materials leverage the synergistic interaction between metal ions and antibiotic molecules to achieve enhanced antimicrobial activity and reduced resistance compared to single agents.
2Reliability
If stronger pharmaceuticals are developed to fight infections, then antimicrobial activity increases, but the complexity of drug discovery and testing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary high-throughput screening methods to identify synergistic metal-antibiotic combinations before clinical development. By systematically testing metal combinations with existing antibiotics in vitro, the process pre-identifies promising synergistic pairs that can be prioritized for further development, reducing the overall complexity and time required for drug discovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) as a key parameter to quantify and identify synergistic combinations. By changing the parameter of combination formulation and using CDI < 0.5 as a selection criterion, the patent simplifies the drug discovery process to focusing on combinations with proven synergistic effects rather than testing all possible combinations.
3Measurement precision
If metal-antibiotic combinations are screened using traditional methods, then comprehensive testing is achieved, but the time required for identification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional manual, time-consuming synergy testing methods with automated high-throughput screening systems. Using robotic handling, automated plate readers, and computer-controlled incubation systems, the process rapidly tests numerous metal-antibiotic combinations simultaneously, reducing screening time while maintaining measurement precision through standardized quantitative assays.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements periodic high-throughput screening cycles where multiple metal-antibiotic combinations are tested in parallel using standardized protocols. By organizing screening into systematic periodic batches with defined criteria (CDI < 0.5), the process efficiently identifies synergistic combinations without requiring continuous manual analysis, thereby reducing overall time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are rapid, large-scale screening methods for identifying metal-biocide combinations that are synergistically effective to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Also provided herein are novel, synergistically antimicrobial metal-biocide combinations and uses of such compositions to curb or slow microbial growth.