Microban Antimicrobial Technologies for HCR Silicone Achieve 5 Log Reductions in Bacterial Growth

Microban announces it recently conducted in vitro testing designed to simulate planktonic and biofilm growth on high consistency rubber (HCR) silicone, which is commonly used in the manufacture of urinary catheters. Urinary tract infections are a costly source of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) and current technologies have had limited success in reducing infection rates. The new Microban® silver antimicrobial technology developed for HCR silicone by Microban Medical is engineered to meet stricter FDA guidelines aimed at encouraging manufacturers to adopt tougher efficacy requirements that will better correlate with decreases in patient infection rates.

Initial results for Microban® antimicrobial silver technology exceed FDA guidelines, showing greater than 5 log reductions in Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli versus unprotected HCR silicone. In addition, Microban microbiologists assessed the impact of Microban silver technology on biofilm formation.

"The ability of antimicrobial technologies to reduce biofilm formation is critical to reducing infection rates. Biofilms are communities of bacteria that are capable of resisting antibiotic treatment and are more likely to cause recurrent infections," says Gina Sloan, PhD, and director of microbiology at Microban.

"We're very excited about the in vitro study results, Microban antimicrobial silver technology will help medical device manufacturers who are utilizing HCR silicone to meet tougher FDA standards for antimicrobials in medical devices," says Ivan Ong, PhD, vice president of research and development. "We believe this technology will also help address the growing problem of HAIs."

Microban Medical is leveraging decades of experience in polymer engineering and microbiology to create new technologies that can significantly improve the antimicrobial performance of medical devices currently available on the market. Microban provides comprehensive development support and project management including engineering services, on-site microbiology, analytical efficacy testing and regulatory guidance.