The results of a clinical trial into the use of a catheter coated with a bacteria resistant material has shown a reduction in infection rates and need for antibiotics to treat infections.
Camstent Coated Catheters feature a bacteria resistant polymer coating developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham, and the results of the trial showed catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) were reduced by a third using the coated catheters and the need for antibiotics were cut by more than half when compared to those receiving standard care.
There were also benefits for long-term catheterised patients using the coated catheter, who showed no symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), compared to 20% in the standard care (SC) group.
CAUTIs account for approximately 75% of all urinary tract infections (UTI's) acquired in hospitals. Globally, UTIs remain one of the most frequently reported healthcare-associated infections, with urinary catheterisation identified as the principal modifiable risk factor. During hospitalisation, approximately 10–25% of patients received an indwelling urinary catheter, around 20% of these patients developed CAUTIs.
The trial is underpinned by research from the Schools of Pharmacy, Life Sciences and Chemical Engineering at the University of Nottingham, funded by the Wellcome Trust, who first discovered a new group of structurally related polymers that prevent infection by stopping the formation of biofilms on the surface, at the earliest possible stage.
These polymers were identified using high-throughput screening and significantly reduce the ability of bacteria like E. coli and S. aureus to attach to surfaces. Rather than killing bacteria, these materials act as a repellent to stop them from forming protective biofilm communities or bacterial "slime-cities."
This technology, developed by Professor Morgan Alexander, Professor Derek Irvine and Professor Paul Williams, has been commercialised for urinary catheters in collaboration with Camstent.
These clinical trials show excellent results for the coated catheters and it's fantastic to see the research we have worked on for over a decade becoming adopted clinically.
Millions of urinary catheters are used every week around the world, and anyone who has a catheter for longer than a week is likely to get an infection. This study shows the potential difference this coated catheter could make in the fight against infection and antibiotic resistance.
Mark Harwood, CEO at Camstent, said "These encouraging clinical trial results, represent a significant milestone in the advancement of our technology. Building on this progress, we have now accelerated the commercialisation phase in the UK as well as actively pursuing opportunities to broaden access across additional regions. To support this next stage of growth and meet increasing demand, we are making strategic investments in automation and expanding our production capacity. These efforts will enable us to scale efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability as adoption continues to grow."
The results of the trial were published in the journal Antibiotics.
