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Volume 13
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10.3390/microorganisms13122796
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Review

Emerging Multimodal Strategies for Bacterial Biofilm Eradication: A Comprehensive Review

by
Pamela Hindieh
1,2,
Joseph Yaghi
1,
Jean Claude Assaf
3,
Ali Chokr
4,5,
Ali Atoui
4,
Nikolaos Tzenios
6,*,
Nicolas Louka
1 and
André El Khoury
1,*
1
Centre d’Analyses et de Recherche (CAR), Unité de Recherche Technologies et Valorisation Agro-Alimentaire (UR-TVA), Laboratoire de Mycologie et Sécurité des Aliments (LMSA), Faculté des Sciences, Campus des Sciences et Technologies, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Mar Roukos, Matn, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
2
Ecole Doctorale “Sciences et Santé”, Campus des Sciences Médicales et Infirmières, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Riad El Solh, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
3
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Balamand, Tripoli P.O. Box 100, Lebanon
4
Research Laboratory of Microbiology (RLM), Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadat Campus, Beirut P.O. Box 6573, Lebanon
5
Platform of Research and Analysis in Environmental Sciences (PRASE), Doctoral School of Sciences and Technologies, Lebanese University, Hadat Campus, Beirut P.O. Box 6573, Lebanon
6
Faculty of Public Health, Charisma University, London EC1V 7QE, UK
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2796; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122796
Submission received: 1 November 2025 / Revised: 28 November 2025 / Accepted: 4 December 2025 / Published: 8 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofilm: Formation, Control, and Applications)
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Abstract

Bacterial biofilms pose significant challenges in clinical, industrial, and environmental settings due to their inherent resistance to antimicrobial agents and host immune responses. Encased within a self-produced extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, these structured microbial communities demonstrate exceptional resilience, resisting conventional antimicrobial treatments and adapting to, as well as recovering from, environmental and therapeutic stresses, necessitating the development of novel anti-biofilm strategies. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of biofilm formation, resistance mechanisms, and current and emerging approaches for controlling biofilms, with a primary focus on advancements made over the last decade. Chemical, physical, and biological strategies, including enzymatic degradation, natural compounds, chelating agents, nanoparticles, photodynamic therapy, and probiotics, have demonstrated promising antibiofilm activity. Additionally, combination therapies and targeted drug delivery systems have emerged as viable solutions to enhance the eradication of biofilms. Despite these advancements, challenges such as cytotoxicity, bacterial adaptation, and clinical applicability remain. Addressing these hurdles requires interdisciplinary research to refine existing strategies and develop innovative solutions for effective biofilm management.
Keywords: biofilm; extracellular polymeric substance (EPS); biofilm eradication; antimicrobial resistance; antibiofilm agents biofilm; extracellular polymeric substance (EPS); biofilm eradication; antimicrobial resistance; antibiofilm agents

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MDPI and ACS Style

Hindieh, P.; Yaghi, J.; Assaf, J.C.; Chokr, A.; Atoui, A.; Tzenios, N.; Louka, N.; Khoury, A.E. Emerging Multimodal Strategies for Bacterial Biofilm Eradication: A Comprehensive Review. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 2796. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122796

AMA Style

Hindieh P, Yaghi J, Assaf JC, Chokr A, Atoui A, Tzenios N, Louka N, Khoury AE. Emerging Multimodal Strategies for Bacterial Biofilm Eradication: A Comprehensive Review. Microorganisms. 2025; 13(12):2796. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122796

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hindieh, Pamela, Joseph Yaghi, Jean Claude Assaf, Ali Chokr, Ali Atoui, Nikolaos Tzenios, Nicolas Louka, and André El Khoury. 2025. "Emerging Multimodal Strategies for Bacterial Biofilm Eradication: A Comprehensive Review" Microorganisms 13, no. 12: 2796. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122796

APA Style

Hindieh, P., Yaghi, J., Assaf, J. C., Chokr, A., Atoui, A., Tzenios, N., Louka, N., & Khoury, A. E. (2025). Emerging Multimodal Strategies for Bacterial Biofilm Eradication: A Comprehensive Review. Microorganisms, 13(12), 2796. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122796

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