Scientists Just Found a Smarter Way to Beat UTIs

A research team has developed a nanogel-based drug delivery system that significantly improves UTI treatment. The method delivers antibiotics directly into infected bladder cells, killing bacteria more effectively while minimizing side effects and antibiotic resistance.

Scientists have developed a cutting-edge way to fight stubborn UTIs by using nanogels to deliver antibiotics directly to infected bladder cells.

This method is far more effective than traditional treatments, eliminating over 90% of bacteria in lab tests while reducing toxicity and the risk of antibiotic resistance. By harnessing advanced polymer chemistry and microbiology, this approach offers a potential cure for recurrent infections. Even more exciting, this technology could extend beyond UTIs, revolutionizing drug delivery for various infections and improving patient care worldwide.

A Breakthrough in UTI Treatment

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have developed a new way to deliver antibiotics more effectively to treat UTIs. Their approach uses nanogels combined with a specialized peptide, a small protein, that helps transport the antibiotic gentamicin directly into bladder cells, where harmful bacteria often hide.

Published in Nanomedicine, their study found that this method was highly effective in animal models, eliminating over 90% of bladder bacteria.

“We prove not only that this technology is doable but could be very effective for future clinical use and can potentially lead towards an eventual cure of recurrent infections,” said the paper’s senior author Michael Schurr, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Immunology & Microbiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

The researchers discovered that nanogels can carry significantly more gentamicin, about 36% more, into infected cells compared to traditional antibiotic delivery methods. Additionally, the technology is safe, causing minimal harm to healthy cells.

Faster, More Precise Drug Delivery

They also found that nanogels release the drug rapidly, allowing it to kill bacteria in the bladder more quickly and efficiently.

“We believe this new approach offers a more effective treatment by delivering the drug directly to the infected cells, allowing it to precisely target and eliminate the infection. This method minimizes side effects and reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance. In contrast, current antibiotics may require prolonged or repeated therapy to be effective, which can contribute to resistance and cause harmful side effects, especially in organs like the kidneys,” said the paper’s co-author Devatha Nair, PhD, associate professor in craniofacial biology, whose research focuses on developing polymer-based biomaterials, at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine.

Beyond UTIs – A Wider Medical Potential

The researchers note that this nanogel-based drug delivery method could have applications beyond UTIs. For instance, the concept of using nanogels for treatment administration originated from the CU School of Dental Medicine as a potential approach for treating periodontal disease.

This study was conducted by experts across multiple schools and colleges on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. While the nanogels were developed in Nair’s polymer lab in the CU School of Dental Medicine, the peptide was studied and characterized in another lab on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus – Dmitri Simberg’s, PhD, lab in the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Humberto Escobedo, PhD, the lead author of the paper, developed a targeted drug delivery system by combining polymer chemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, and urogynecology.

As a clinician-scientist and urogynecologist, Marsha K. Guess, MD, MS, and her team worked with Schurr’s lab to develop and test this approach in a manner that maximizes its translational potential in humans.

The Future of Infection Treatment

“This is an exciting advancement for the delivery of medicine and the potential to improve the quality of life for many people. For urinary tract infections, they are not only common and costly but also debilitating, severely affecting the quality of life for those who suffer from them. Advancing research to develop more effective, long-lasting treatments is a crucial step in enhancing overall health and well-being,” said Schurr.

Reference: “Nanogels conjugated with cell-penetrating peptide as drug delivery vehicle for treating urinary tract infections” by Humberto D. Escobedo, Nicholas Zawadzki, James K.A. Till, Andres Vazquez-Torres, Guankui Wang, Dmitri Simberg, David J. Orlicky, Joshua Johnson, Marsha K. Guess, Devatha P. Nair and Michael J. Schurr, 28 February 2025, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2025.102812

This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in 1887, it is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH conducts its own scientific research through its Intramural Research Program (IRP) and provides major biomedical research funding to non-NIH research facilities through its Extramural Research Program. With 27 different institutes and centers under its umbrella, the NIH covers a broad spectrum of health-related research, including specific diseases, population health, clinical research, and fundamental biological processes. Its mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.

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