# US 2018/0021452 A1 · Bacterium-containing hydrogel and method of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021452 A1 - Document ID: US20180021452A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/655,915 - Filed: 2017-07-21 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: National Central University - Applicants: National Central University - Inventors: Chun-Ming HUANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021452A1 ## CPC - A61K 47/6903: {the form being semi-solid, e.g. an ointment, a gel, a hydrogel or a solidifying gel} - A61K 9/0014: {Skin, i.e. galenical aspects of topical compositions (non-active ingredients are additionally classified in A61K47/00; A61K9/0009, A61K9/0021, A61K9/7015, A61K9/7023 take precedence; cosmetic preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; preparations for wound dressings or bandages A61L26/00)} - A61K 9/06: Ointments; Bases therefor; {Other semi-solid forms, e.g. creams, sticks, gels (composition of ointments, creams or gels A61K47/00)} - A61K 35/66: Microorganisms or materials therefrom (fungi, yeasts or candida A61K36/06) - A61K 35/74: Bacteria (therapeutic use of a bacterial protein A61K38/00) - A61K 47/34: Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyesters, polyamino acids, polysiloxanes, polyphosphazines, copolymers of polyalkylene glycol or poloxamers (A61K47/10 takes precedence) - A61L 15/36: containing microorganisms - A61L 15/60: Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents - A61P 31/04: Antibacterial agents - C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates - C12N 11/02: Enzymes or microbial cells immobilised on or in an organic carrier - A61K 9/7023: {Transdermal patches and similar drug-containing composite devices, e.g. cataplasms (galenical aspects of iontophoretic devices A61K9/0009; microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; buccal patches A61K9/006)} - C12R 2001/45: Staphylococcus epidermidis - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a bacterium-contained hydrogel including: hydrogel, bacteria, and metabolites. The hydrogel includes a plurality of polymer chains crosslinked with each other, and each of the polymer chains include at least one polyethylene glycol chain. The bacteria are located in the hydrogel, and the bacteria use the polymer chains as a carbon source for fermentation. The metabolites are produced from the fermentation of the bacteria using the polymer chains as a carbon source. The metabolites distribute in the hydrogel. The present disclosure also provides a method for making bacterium-contained hydrogel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bacterium-contained hydrogel comprising: a hydrogel comprising a plurality of polymer chains crosslinked with each other, each of the polymer chains comprising at least one polyethylene glycol chain; bacteria located within the hydrogel, the bacteria using the polymer chains as a carbon source for fermentation; metabolites produced from the fermentation of the bacteria using the polymer chains as a carbon source, the metabolites distributing in the hydrogel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein a molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol chain is about 250 to about 10000. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the polymer chains are polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol methacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylamide, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the polymer chains further comprise a carboxylic acid group, a lipid group, or a carbohydrate group, and the carboxylic acid group, the lipid group, and the carbohydrate group are bonded to the polyethylene glycol chain. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the bacteria are probiotics. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the bacteria are Staphylococcus epidermidis or Propionibacterium acnes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the metabolites comprise a short chain fatty acid having two to six carbon atoms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the polymer chains comprise polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and the bacteria are Staphylococcus epidermidis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the polymer chains further comprise a carbohydrate group, and the bacteria are Staphylococcus epidermidis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 1, wherein the polymer chains further comprise a carboxylic acid group, and the bacteria are Propionibacterium acnes. ### Claim 11 A method for preparing a bacterium-contained hydrogel comprising: providing or receiving an aqueous polymer solution, the aqueous polymer solution containing a polymer having at least one polyethylene glycol chain; mixing bacteria with the aqueous polymer solution containing the polymer having the polyethylene glycol chain; inducing a crosslinking reaction within the aqueous solution containing the bacteria and the polymer having the polyethylene glycol chain, and forming a hydrogel containing the bacteria; and incubating the bacteria in the hydrogel, wherein the bacteria produce metabolites through using the polymer having the polyethylene chain as a carbon source for fermentation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein the polymer is polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol methylacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylamide, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein the polymer comprises a carboxylic acid group, a lipid group, or a carbohydrate group, and the carboxylic acid group, the lipid group, and the carbohydrate group are bonded to the polyethylene glycol chain. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein inducing the crosslinking reaction within the aqueous solution containing the bacteria and the polymer with the polyethylene glycol chain comprises: adding ammonium peroxydisulfate and tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) in the aqueous polymer solution containing the bacteria and polymers having the polyethylene glycol chain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 14, wherein a molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol chain is about 250 to about 10,000. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein inducing the crosslinking reaction within the aqueous solution containing the bacteria and the polymer having the polyethylene glycol chain comprises: adding a photoinitiator to the aqueous polymer solution containing the bacteria and the polymer having the polyethylene glycol chain, and forming a precursor; and irradiating the precursor by ultraviolet light. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein the bacteria are probiotics. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein the bacteria are Staphylococcus epidermidis or Propionibacterium acnes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, wherein the metabolites comprise a short chain fatty acid having 2 to 6 carbon atoms. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method for preparing the bacterium-contained hydrogel of claim 11, the method further comprising incubating the bacterium-contained hydrogel in a medium with nutrients.