# Antimicrobial Hydrogel Foam Dressings for Infected Chronic Wounds

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2020 · $207,850

## Abstract

Chronic wounds are projected to reach epidemic proportions worldwide because of the aging
population and the increasing incidence of diabetes. It is estimated that 25% of diabetics develop
foot ulcers, and these ulcers are estimated to have a cost of $9 to $13 billion in the U.S. alone.
Many of these wounds are infected by bacteria including antimicrobial-resistant organisms like
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Thus, there is a critical need to develop
improved dressings to treat chronic wounds, including those infected with MRSA, lest the clinical
and financial burdens of chronic leg wounds continue to grow exponentially. Our long-term goal is
to engineer superior dressings to improve healing of chronic wounds complicated with
infection. We9 and others10 have demonstrated that the compound gallium maltolate (GaM) has
antimicrobial activity against MRSA, even when a biofilm is formed. The full impact of GaM on
cellular actions has not been elucidated but at appropriate doses gallium promotes collagen
synthesis and cell migration, favorably modulates integrin expression.14-15 Notably, our preliminary
results indicate that the net effect of a GaM ointment is to enhance these aspects of healing in
a large animal model of chronic, infected limb wounds. Although this study provided proof-of-concept
for the utility of GaM, there are a number of limitations in using an ointment to treat chronic wounds
including poor dose control and need for frequent re-application due to poor residency.
 The objective of this project is to provide evidence that a GaM-releasing hydrogel foam can
improve outcomes over current antimicrobial dressings. Our central hypothesis is that a hydrogel
foam dressing which provides appropriate delivery of GaM and improved moisture control will
promote healing of infected chronic wounds. Our rationale for these studies is that demonstrating
efficacy of this hydrogel foam dressing will lead to improved treatment options (innovation) and
elucidation of GaM-initiated cellular mechanisms in chronic wound healing (new knowledge).
Completion of these studies will establish the benefit of gallium maltolate (GaM) as a new and
effective antimicrobial agent and elucidate its effect on key cellular processes. This study will also
assess initial efficacy of an improved dressing to reduce treatment costs and reduce
morbidity/mortality associated with chronic wounds including limb amputations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9984690
- **Project number:** 1R21AR076107-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Marie Cosgriff-Hernandez
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $207,850
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-03-12 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9984690

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9984690, Antimicrobial Hydrogel Foam Dressings for Infected Chronic Wounds (1R21AR076107-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9984690. Licensed CC0.

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