Synthetic peptide branched polymers for antibacterial and biomedical applications

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health, and this ‘invisible pandemic’ is a looming public health crisis. Accordingly, both broad-spectrum and selective antimicrobial agents that do not induce resistance are urgently required. Synthetic peptide-polymers and their mimics and in particular structurally nano-engineered antimicrobial peptide-polymers (SNAPPs) are antimicrobial materials with clinical potential as novel therapeutics to combat antimicrobial resistance due to their inherent biodegradability, biocompatibility and tuneable cytocompatibility. Macromolecular design in conjunction with rational monomer composition can direct their architecture, self-assembly and chemical behaviour, ultimately guiding the choice of appropriate application within the biomedical field. This Review focuses on several facets of antimicrobial peptide-polymers including their synthesis, diversity, physicochemical properties and bacteria-killing mechanisms. We discuss current strategies in the antimicrobial field that improve antibacterial activity in the context of their current and potential application to peptide-polymers. Further, different strategies to enhance the antibacterial activity of peptide-polymers are discussed, along with burgeoning developments in medical applications. The challenges of future applications of synthetic peptide branched polymers in biomedical engineering are highlighted.