Pharmaceutical strategies for the treatment of bacterial biofilms in chronic wounds

•Biofilm formation is a key culprit for the progression of chronic wounds.•Antibiofilm agents can alleviate the menace of biofilm formation.•Delivery systems containing combination of antibiotics and antibiofilm agents can enable to eradicate or disperse biofilms in chronic wounds in an effective manner.•Nanoscale formulations can enhance the ability of antibiofilm agents to penetrate and eradicate the biofilms. Biofilms are sessile communities of microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that grow on biotic and abiotic surfaces. These microorganisms are embedded within an extracellular polymeric substance that provides enhanced protection from antimicrobials. Chronic wounds provide an ideal habitat for biofilm formation. Bacteria can easily attach to wound debris and can infect the wound due to an impaired host immune response. This review highlights the mechanism of biofilm formation and the role of biofilms in the pathophysiology of chronic wounds. Our major focus is on various formulation strategies and delivery systems that are employed to eradicate or disperse biofilms, thereby effectively managing acute and chronic wounds. We also discuss clinical research that has studied or is studying the treatment of biofilm-infected chronic wounds.