polyMOFs as promising drug delivery systems for antimicrobial therapy

The combination of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and polymers is highly desirable since both contribute with outstanding features (high and defined porosity and crystallinity as well as tunable mechanical and chemical properties, respectively).

In particular, they represent an appealing strategy in the field of drug delivery systems (DDS): i) the polymer can increase the chemical and colloidal stability of the DDS; ii) the polymer can present itself biological activity (e.g. antimicrobial) and stimuli response (e.g. pH, temperature); iii) the metal centers of the MOFs can exhibit intrinsic bioactivity (e.g.

Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+) and iv) the MOF porosity can adsorb and progressively release exceptional cargoes of complementary active ingredients.

Mostly associated as composite or core-shell, the coordination of the polymer as a building block to the metallic part of the MOF (polyMOF) is almost unexplored.

Until now, only 10 polyMOFs (over 90,000 MOFs) have been reported, and all of them being in the exploratory phase, with no demonstrated potential applications.

In this sense, highly robust polyMOFs will be here prepared based on polymers-containing polycomplexant ligands (instead of molecular polydentate ligands) and bioactive cations, stablishing a platform for the development of a library of polyMOFs with innovative combined antimicrobial properties.

As proof of concept, the in vitro safety and potential activity of these novel polyMOFs will be evaluated for the challenging antimicrobial therapy.

Finally, the scale-up and potential technology transfer of the most promising prototypes will be assessed within an industrial placement at Immaterial Ltd.