Combatting fungal infections: advances in antifungal polymeric nanomaterials

Sebastian Schaefer; Nathaniel Corrigan; Sascha Brunke; Megan D. Lenardon; Cyrille Boyer

doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866

Combatting fungal infections: advances in antifungal polymeric nanomaterials

Sebastian Schaefer
, Nathaniel Corrigan
, Sascha Brunke
, Megan D. Lenardon
, Cyrille Boyer

University of New South Wales
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Fungal pathogens cause over 6.5 million life-threatening systemic infections annually, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 95%, even with medical intervention. The World Health Organization has recently emphasized the urgent need for new antifungal drugs. However, the range of effective antifungal agents remains limited and resistance is increasing. This Review explores the current landscape of fungal infections and antifungal drugs, focusing on synthetic polymeric nanomaterials like nanoparticles that enhance the physicochemical properties of existing drugs. Additionally, we examine intrinsically antifungal polymers that mimic naturally occurring peptides. Advances in polymer characterization and synthesis now allow precise design and screening for antifungal activity, biocompatibility, and drug interactions. These antifungal polymers represent a promising new class of drugs for combating fungal infections.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5670-5701
Number of pages	32
Journal	Biomacromolecules
Volume	25
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866
Publication status	Published - 9 Sept 2024
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866

Cite this

@article{15ba453dfa3f4629af5373fd7820c7d5,

title = "Combatting fungal infections: advances in antifungal polymeric nanomaterials",

abstract = "Fungal pathogens cause over 6.5 million life-threatening systemic infections annually, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 95\%, even with medical intervention. The World Health Organization has recently emphasized the urgent need for new antifungal drugs. However, the range of effective antifungal agents remains limited and resistance is increasing. This Review explores the current landscape of fungal infections and antifungal drugs, focusing on synthetic polymeric nanomaterials like nanoparticles that enhance the physicochemical properties of existing drugs. Additionally, we examine intrinsically antifungal polymers that mimic naturally occurring peptides. Advances in polymer characterization and synthesis now allow precise design and screening for antifungal activity, biocompatibility, and drug interactions. These antifungal polymers represent a promising new class of drugs for combating fungal infections.",

author = "Sebastian Schaefer and Nathaniel Corrigan and Sascha Brunke and Lenardon, \{Megan D.\} and Cyrille Boyer",

year = "2024",

month = sep,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "5670--5701",

journal = "Biomacromolecules",

issn = "1525-7797",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Combatting fungal infections

T2 - advances in antifungal polymeric nanomaterials

AU - Schaefer, Sebastian

AU - Corrigan, Nathaniel

AU - Brunke, Sascha

AU - Lenardon, Megan D.

AU - Boyer, Cyrille

PY - 2024/9/9

Y1 - 2024/9/9

N2 - Fungal pathogens cause over 6.5 million life-threatening systemic infections annually, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 95%, even with medical intervention. The World Health Organization has recently emphasized the urgent need for new antifungal drugs. However, the range of effective antifungal agents remains limited and resistance is increasing. This Review explores the current landscape of fungal infections and antifungal drugs, focusing on synthetic polymeric nanomaterials like nanoparticles that enhance the physicochemical properties of existing drugs. Additionally, we examine intrinsically antifungal polymers that mimic naturally occurring peptides. Advances in polymer characterization and synthesis now allow precise design and screening for antifungal activity, biocompatibility, and drug interactions. These antifungal polymers represent a promising new class of drugs for combating fungal infections.

AB - Fungal pathogens cause over 6.5 million life-threatening systemic infections annually, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 95%, even with medical intervention. The World Health Organization has recently emphasized the urgent need for new antifungal drugs. However, the range of effective antifungal agents remains limited and resistance is increasing. This Review explores the current landscape of fungal infections and antifungal drugs, focusing on synthetic polymeric nanomaterials like nanoparticles that enhance the physicochemical properties of existing drugs. Additionally, we examine intrinsically antifungal polymers that mimic naturally occurring peptides. Advances in polymer characterization and synthesis now allow precise design and screening for antifungal activity, biocompatibility, and drug interactions. These antifungal polymers represent a promising new class of drugs for combating fungal infections.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85202156900

UR - https://go.openathens.net/redirector/westernsydney.edu.au?url=https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866

U2 - 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866

DO - 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866

M3 - Article

C2 - 39177507

AN - SCOPUS:85202156900

SN - 1525-7797

VL - 25

SP - 5670

EP - 5701

JO - Biomacromolecules

JF - Biomacromolecules

IS - 9

ER -

Combatting fungal infections: advances in antifungal polymeric nanomaterials

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this