LubriShield™ – A new era in urinary catheter safety and comfort

Solna, Sweden, July 2025

CytaCoat AB is proud to announce the successful development and clinical validation of LubriShield™, a groundbreaking innovation in the fight against catheter-associated infections. LubriShield™ is a novel, permanently bonded coating for urinary catheters that prevents the formation of harmful biofilms – without relying on bactericidal agents.

Biofilms—structured microbial communities that form on catheter surfaces – are the leading cause of medical device-related infections. These slimy layers protect bacteria and fungi from antibiotics and immune system attacks, making them exceptionally difficult to eradicate. LubriShield™ tackles this problem at its root by allowing microorganisms to adhere while preventing their transition into biofilm mode. As a result, microbes remain in a planktonic-like, less virulent state  – more vulnerable to antibiotic treatment and less likely to cause infection.

Unlike coatings that kill microbes directly, LubriShield™ reduces the risk of promoting antimicrobial resistance. This non-leaching, non-toxic solution represents a novel approach to surface protection in clinical environments.

These findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE: Romero AI, Surkov S, Wirsén P, Brookes G, Bergström L, Tejbrant J, Dhamo E, Wilks S, Bryant C and Andersson J.

LubriShield™ – A permanent urinary catheter coating that prevents uropathogen biofilm formation in vitro independent of host protein conditioning.

PLOS ONE. July 10, 2025. 20(7): e0328167
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328167

Key preclinical findings:

• Broad-spectrum effectiveness against Gram-negative and Gram-positive uropathogens, as well as Candida albicans
• >80% reduction in biofilm formation after 14 days of continuous exposure
• Maintained performance in the presence of fibrinogen, a host protein known to enhance biofilm formation
• Improved antibiotic susceptibility of attached pathogens
• No release of toxic substances, confirming safety for long-term use
• Super-slippery, hydrophilic surface reduces friction—enhancing patient comfort during insertion and use

 “LubriShield™ offers a unique, non-toxic, and biocompatible solution to one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges,” said Dr. Ana Romero, lead scientist at CytaCoat AB.
“Its permanent, non-releasing coating tackles the biofilm issue at the source—without encouraging resistance.”

Clinical validation

In a recently completed clinical safety study, published in the peer-reviewed journal, Scandinavian Journal of urology (https://medicaljournalssweden.se/SJU/article/view/43994), LubriShield™ coated urinary catheters demonstrated excellent patient tolerability and no device-related adverse events.

A longer-term clinical trial is currently underway to further evaluate real-world performance under extended use conditions.

A platform for broader impact

While LubriShield™ technology was first developed for implementation with urinary catheters, CytaCoat is now actively expanding the technology usage to address wound dressings and other surface-contact medical devices.

The aim is to bring the same biofilm-preventive, non-releasing benefits to a wider range of medical device products and clinical applications.

LubriShield™ sets a new standard in medical device safety—offering effective, comfortable, and sustainable protection for millions of patients worldwide.