Periodontitis affects a large percentage of the elderly population, causing damage to bone and connective tissues. Bone defects often require
reconstructive bone augmentation procedures using a wide variety of surgical approaches, bone grafts, and barrier membranes. One of the most
effective methods for achieving bone regeneration in the alveolar ridge is the application of guided bone regeneration/guided tissue regeneration
(GBR/GTR) techniques. While GTR targets soft tissue regeneration, GBR focuses on separating bone from connective tissue to prevent its rapid
ingrowth. Biodegradable collagen membranes are often preferred to avoid the need for a second surgery to remove non-degradable ones. However,
these membranes are typically unstable and may collapse into the defect. There is a clinical need to develop a new generation of volume-stable
barrier membranes that offer bioactivity, enhance osteogenesis, and possess antimicrobial properties. Addressing a topic of Global Health in EU-LAC
call, the ANTIBIOREG project aims to develop, characterize, and investigate a novel volume-stable, antibiotic-eluting, electrospun membrane
composed of the biodegradable polymer polylactic acid, functionalized with bone morphogenetic protein 2, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, magnesium
oxide particles, and the antibiotics doxycycline and metronidazole. The originality of these new membranes lies in their bioactivity, improved
mechanical properties, controlled biodegradation, and design tailored to achieve targeted therapeutic effects. ANTIBIOREG and its novel membranes
will contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of material–biological interfaces over time through in vitro studies. Additionally, in vivo
preclinical implantation tests will assess the performance of these barrier membranes in an animal model, evaluating the antimicrobial properties,
biomechanical integrity, biodegradation, as well as a regeneration process of bone and connective tissues.
