In vitro, thiomers were shown to have antimicrobial activity towards Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, N-acyl thiolated chitosans show great potential as highly efficient, biocompatible and cost-effective antimicrobial compounds. Metabolism and mechanistic studies are under way to optimize these thiomers for clinical applications. Because of their antimicrobial activity, thiolated polymers are also used as coatings that avoid bacterial adhesion.