Potent and scalable antimicrobial oligocations for surface and solution applications
A patented family of tunable oligomeric cations with potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Built on inexpensive thiabicyclononane building blocks, these molecules work by membrane disruption and are easily optimized and scaled for diverse antimicrobial use cases.
Overview
This offering centers on a patented family of oligomeric cations developed at Georgia Institute of Technology that deliver potent antimicrobial performance against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The molecules are effective both in solution and when immobilized on surfaces, making them versatile for a wide range of antimicrobial applications. Their mechanism of action involves membrane disruption, similar to most polycations, but their tunable architecture—combining cationic and hydrophobic building blocks—sets them apart in terms of adaptability and performance. The technology is backed by a strong intellectual property position and is ready for collaborative optimization with industry partners.
Technical specifications
- Mechanism: Membrane disruption via oligomeric cations, leveraging a combination of cationic and hydrophobic building blocks for enhanced efficacy
- Building blocks: Based on thiabicyclononane units that are reliable, inexpensive, and pioneered by the research team
- Tunability: Molecular architecture is highly adjustable to meet specific application requirements
- Scalability: Synthesis routes are straightforward and amenable to large-scale production
- Versatility: Active in both solution-phase and surface-immobilized formats
- Spectrum: Effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria
- Intellectual property: Patented technology with composition-of-matter and application coverage
Technology readiness level
The antimicrobial oligocations have been validated through published peer-reviewed studies demonstrating potent activity in solution and on surfaces. The synthesis methodology is established and scalable. The next phase of development involves providing samples to industry partners for application-specific testing, followed by collaborative optimization for target use cases. Georgia Tech offers flexible licensing terms to facilitate commercialization partnerships.
About Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology is a large, technology‑focused public research university in Atlanta with a strong applied research culture. Industry engages through the Georgia Tech Research Institute for contract R&D, a Midtown innovation district with co‑located corporate labs, and a statewide manufacturing extension to support scale‑up. A long‑standing partnership with a major academic medical center enables clinical translation, and a large co‑op program delivers a steady talent pipeline. Research is backed by competitive federal funding from NSF, NIH, DOE, DoD, and NASA. Technology commercialization is managed by the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, with dedicated licensing, corporate contracting, and startup support.
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