# A Novel High-Intensity Iontophoresis-Based Antibiotic Delivery Device for Efficacious Eradication of Chronic Wound Biofilms

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $164,099

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY. In this study, we will develop a novel ion current-based iontophoresis device that can
safely apply high intensity currents to deliver a therapeutically effective concentration of antibiotics into biofilms
within a short period of time to achieve efficacious eradication of chronic wound biofilm infections. Chronic
wounds are currently affecting more than 6 million people in the US. More than 78% of chronic wounds have
biofilms, which arrest the wounds in a prolonged inflammatory phase and prevent wound healing. Biofilms are
difficult to treat, because biofilm bacteria are more resistant to antibiotics and a protective matrix of extracellular
polymeric substances reduce the diffusion rate of antibiotics into biofilms. As a result, current antibiotic delivery
technologies are not capable of delivering sufficient antibiotic concentrations to effectively eradicate chronic
wound biofilm infections.
Iontophoresis is a non-invasive, electrical current-based drug delivery technology. Conventional iontophoresis
devices have low antibiotic delivery efficiency due to the low current intensities they use. Although higher current
intensities increase antibiotic delivery efficiency, they can cause significant tissue burn due to the temperature
increase and the pH changes at the device/tissue interface. In this proposal, based on an ion current-conducting
hydrogel ionic circuit (HIC) invented in our lab, we aim to develop a novel iontophoresis device that can safely
apply current intensities that are significantly higher than what current iontophoresis devices use. Higher current
intensities will allow us to deliver significantly higher amount of antibiotics to efficaciously eliminate biofilm
bacteria and restore the normal wound healing process. In Specific Aim 1, we will first design and optimize an
HIC-based, skin-mountable iontophoretic antibiotic delivery device through computer-aided finite-element
simulation. We will then determine the antibiotic delivery efficiency and biofilm eradication efficacy of our device
using an excised human skin-based wound infection model. The safety of high-intensity ion current application
will also be evaluated using in vitro cell cultures and healthy rats. In Specific Aim 2, we will determine the in vivo
biofilm eradication efficacy and wound healing enhancement efficacy of our device using a rat bipedicled skin
flap-based ischemic wound infection model. Our outcome will establish an optimal device design and a critical
proof-of-concept for the in vivo safety, biofilm eradication efficacy, and chronic wound healing enhancement
efficacy of our high-intensity iontophoretic antibiotic delivery device. The enhanced healing of chronic wounds
enabled by our device will greatly improve the quality of life for patients and reduce the overall healthcare cost.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10433163
- **Project number:** 1R21AR080906-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jingwei Xie
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $164,099
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-06-03 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10433163

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10433163, A Novel High-Intensity Iontophoresis-Based Antibiotic Delivery Device for Efficacious Eradication of Chronic Wound Biofilms (1R21AR080906-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10433163. Licensed CC0.

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