Compositions for treating biofilm

Abstract

A two component composition comprises an anchor enzyme complex to degrade biofilm structures and a second anchor enzyme component having the capability to act directly upon the bacteria for a bactericidal effect.

1 . A composition for degrading and or removing biofilms and the sessile cells associated therein comprising: 
 an enzyme    an anchor molecule coupled to an enzyme to form an enzyme-anchor complex, the anchor being capable of attaching to a surface proximal to a cell colony, the anchor being selected from a group consisting of materials that bind to the cellular colony or its components or other bioadhesive molecules;    wherein the attachment to the substrate permits prolonged retention time of the enzyme-anchor complex where the cellular colony and biofilm are present.    
     
     
         2 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the enzyme is selected for its ability to degrade a living cellular colonizing matrix.  
     
     
         3 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the anchor enzyme complex is a fusion protein.  
     
     
         4 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the biofilm is associated with infections selected from the following: ocular, contact lenses, cystic fibrosis, an implanted device, dermal infections, oral plaque; industrial equipment and water handling systems.  
     
     
         5 . A two component composition comprising an anchor enzyme complex to degrade biofilm structures and a second anchor enzyme component having the capability to act directly upon the bacteria for a bactericidal effect.  
     
     
         6 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the anchor enzyme complex contains alginate lyase to degrade the biofilm.  
     
     
         7 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the anchor enzyme complex contains an alginate binding domain.  
     
     
         8 . A composition as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the alginate binding domain is derived from elastase.  
     
     
         9 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the anchor enzyme complex is a fusion protein.  
     
     
         10 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the anchor enzyme complex contains lysozyme to lyse bacteria within the biofilm.  
     
     
         11 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the anchor enzyme complex contains lactoferrin.  
     
     
         12 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein one or more anchor enzyme complexes contain oxido-reductase enzymes that generate active oxygen for the purpose of killing bacteria within the biofilm.  
     
     
         13 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein one or more anchor enzyme complexes contain hexose oxidase for the purpose of generating active oxygen.  
     
     
         14 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein one or more anchor enzyme complexes contain lactoperoxidase for the purpose of generating active oxygen.  
     
     
         15 . A composition as claimed in  claim 5  wherein one or more anchor enzyme complexes contain myeloperoxidase for the purpose of generating active oxygen.  
     
     
         16 . An ophthalmic composition for treating contact lenses while either retained within or removed from the eye consisting of an enzyme anchor complex as claimed in  claim 2 .  
     
     
         17 . A composition as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the anchor enzyme complex is a fusion protein whose anchor part is an alginate binding domain and whose catalytic part is alginate lyase.  
     
     
         18 . An ophthalmic composition for treating ocular related infections comprising an anchor enzyme complex to degrade the biofilm associated with the infection and a bactericidal agent to kill individual bacteria that are released from the biofilm structure as it is being degraded.  
     
     
         19 . A composition as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the bactericidal agent is selected from the group consisting of: Aminoglycoside antibiotic; a Quinolone or Fluoroquinolone antibiotic, a Cephalosporin antibiotic, a Penicillin antibiotic, Tobramycin; is Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Aztreonam, Vancomycin, Streptomycin, is Neomycin, and Gentamicin.  
     
     
         20 . A composition as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the bactericidal agent has an anchor.  
     
     
         21 . A composition as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the anchor is selected from a polysaccharide binding domain and a cellulose binding domain.  
     
     
         22 . A composition for degrading or removing biofilm that is contained in a closed system and the sessile cells associated therein, the composition comprising one or more enzymes selected for their ability to degrade the biofilm.  
     
     
         23 . A composition as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the enzyme is an alginate degrading enzyme such as alginate lyase and an antimicrobial/antibiotic.  
     
     
         24 . A composition as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the antimicrobial/antibiotic has a moiety connected to it so that the antimicrobial/antibiotic agent can be retained at a specific location within a closed system.  
     
     
         5 f. A composition as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the enzyme is an alginate degrading enzyme such as alginate lyase and one or more enzymes that have one or more moieties connected to them so that the anchor-enzyme can be retained at a specific location within a closed system.