# Noninvasive Treatment of Biofilm on Metallic Implants

> **NIH NIH R44** · SOLENIC MEDICAL INC · 2021 · $759,212

## Abstract

Project Summary
Biofilm-related infections are a major complication for orthopedic implants used to replace or repair injured bones
and joints. Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria and extracellular substances which can form on any surface,
including the surface of implanted medical devices. Bacteria within biofilms are protected from antibiotics and
the immune system, and can cause recurrent infection even after a prolonged course of therapy. The treatment
of these infections is prolonged and costly; removal and replacement of the infected hardware, weeks of antibiotic
administration, and extended hospital stays are usually required. Approximately 70 percent of these biofilm-
infections are caused by gram-positive pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, with the remaining caused
by gram-negative pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Increasing rates of antibiotic resistance in
these pathogens are further complicating patient treatment. An innovative non-invasive approach for the
treatment of biofilm on metallic implants can be achieved through the use of an alternating magnetic
fields (AMF). When metal prostheses are exposed to AMF, electrical currents are induced on their surface,
resulting in rapid heating which can destroy biofilm. This method of treatment is highly effective at killing the
bacterial components of the biofilm, and can be used in concert with traditional antimicrobials to achieve
complete treatment of the infection. The research team hypothesizes that focused heating of an in vivo metallic
implant surface through the delivery of AMF will be bactericidal to pathogens embedded within an attached
biofilm, will increase their sensitivity to antimicrobial agents and will be safe in vivo. The overall goals of this
study are to evaluate biofilm eradication by AMF exposure in both small and large animal models of
implant infection, as well as design and characterize a prototype AMF device suitable for treating human
implant infections. This proposal aims to answer critical questions regarding the optimal power, temperature,
and total exposure time that will be both safe and effective. This would represent a significant advance in the
ability to treat implants in situ, avoiding millions of surgeries and the corresponding billions of dollars associated
with them.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10263362
- **Project number:** 5R44AI155291-02
- **Recipient organization:** SOLENIC MEDICAL INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Rajiv Chopra
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $759,212
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-14 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10263362

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10263362, Noninvasive Treatment of Biofilm on Metallic Implants (5R44AI155291-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10263362. Licensed CC0.

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