Grant: Engage Grants Program

Over one in three people globally is infected with M. tuberculosis, resulting in nearly 2 million deaths per year. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis has increased the danger of this deadly infection and prompted extensive research into new treatments. Nautilus Biosciences Canada, Inc. has developed pseudoteroxazoles with high activity against the disease. Challenges remain, however, in improving patient compliance, as treatment regimens are long and arduous. Research in the Shaver group has focused on control of macrostructure and microstructure in the ring-opening polymerization of lactide and other cyclic esters to create biodegradable and bioassimilable polymeric materials. The goal of this collaboration is to use hydroxy-functionalized pseudoteroxazoles as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide with variable chain lengths and microstructure properties. These polymer-modified bioactives will degrade hydrolytically and release the active material, potentially offering controlled release of the drug. Over a six-month project, twelve prototype materials will be prepared and characterized for their physical and degradation properties. By controlling chain length and polymer microstructure by judicious choice of catalyst we hope to be able to tune the release of the pseudoteroxazoles, provide for a sustained release of the drug and eventually improve patient compliance.