Photo Credit: COURTESY IMAGE
In a potential game changer for the treatment of superbugs, a new class of antibiotics was developed that cured mice infected with bacteria deemed nearly “untreatable” in humans — and resistance to the drug was virtually undetectable.
Developed by a research team of UC Santa Barbara scientists, the study was published(link is external) in the journal eBioMedicine. The drug works by disrupting many bacterial functions simultaneously — which may explain how it killed every pathogen tested and why low-level of bacterial resistance was observed after prolonged drug exposure.
The project was led by professors Michael Mahan, David Low, Chuck Samuel and their research team, Douglas Heithoff, Scott Mahan, Lucien Barnes and Cyril George. Additional contributors include professors Guillermo Bazan (UC Santa Barbara) and Andrei Osterman (Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute).
The discovery was serendipitous. The U.S. Army had a pressing need to charge cell phones while in the field — essential for soldier survival. Because bacteria are miniature power plants, compounds were designed by Bazan’s group to harness bacterial energy as a “microbial” battery. Later the idea arose to re-purpose these compounds as potential antibiotics.
“When asked to determine if the chemical compounds could serve as antibiotics, we thought they would be highly toxic to human cells similar to bleach,” said Mahan, the project lead. “Most were toxic — but one was not — and it could kill every bacterial pathogen we tested.”
What makes the drug unique is the failure of bacteria to become resistant to it. And bacterial resistance is typically a major barrier to antibiotic development since it limits a drug’s (potential value in the marketplace.
“The key finding was that bacterial resistance to the drug was virtually undetectable,” said lead author Heithoff. “Most drugs fail at this stage of development and never get to clinical practice.”
The antibiotic has a unique mechanism of action. Contrary to most drugs (like penicillin) that target a specific germ function, the new drug targets many functions simultaneously.
“The drug appears to affect the bacterial membrane which, in turn, disrupts multiple bacterial functions,” explained Low, the co-project lead. “This may account for the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low level of bacterial resistance.”
“This class of antibiotics has potential as a new versatile therapy for antimicrobial resistant pathogens,” Samuel said.
Additional drug safety and efficacy studies will need to be conducted to fully understand the clinical benefits and risks before the drug can be used in clinical practice.
Original Article: Resistance Is Futile
More from: University of California Santa Barbara | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Superbugs
- Antibiotics Resistance & The Epidemic of Superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global public health threat. Antimicrobial drugs, which include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitic agents, are designed to treat ...
- Synthetic Antibiotics Could Improve Treatment of “Superbugs”
Technology Networks spoke to Dr. Ishwar Singh to learn more about the challenges of drug-resistant infections, the discovery of teixobactin and the benefits of synthetic antibodies.
- Scientifically Speaking | The hidden pandemic that could eclipse Covid-19
Antibiotic-resistant superbugs pose a growing threat. This looming crisis demands urgent global attention and innovative solutions.
- Hospital toilets are contaminated with drug resistant 'superbugs'
New study finds high microbial contamination in UK hospital toilets, highlighting need for better cleaning and design changes.
- Could Our Deep Cleaning Habits Be Contributing To Superbugs?
Superbugs are strains of bacteria which are resistant to common antibiotics and they are responsible for about 5,000 deaths each year.
Go deeper with Bing News on:
New class of antibiotics
- New drugs transform weight loss industry
The focus of the event will be the changes in the way we talk about obesity and diet culture, thanks to a new class of drugs known as GLP-1s, like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Since the GLP-1s have ...
- The 25 Most Popular Drugs by U.S. Spending
Help Register Login Login Hi, %{firstName}% Hi, %{firstName}% Games Car rental The United States spent a total of more than $722 billion on prescription drugs in 2023, a new report finds. That’s a ...
- New Cancer 'Missile' Drugs May Be More Effective Than Traditional Chemotherapy
Antibody-drug conjugates are a new type of cancer therapy that deliver cancer-killing medicine to cancer cells, avoiding healthy cells along the way.
- Acurx Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of Ibezapolstat Phase 2 Clinical Trial Results at ESCMID Global 2024 Scientific Conference
Ibezapolstat is a novel, orally administered antibiotic being developed as a Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum (GPSS®) antibacterial. It is the first of a new class of DNA polymerase IIIC ...
- First-in-Class Antibiotic Effective Against Urogenital Gonorrhea
Opens in a new tab or window Share on LinkedIn. Opens in a new tab or window Gepotidacin, an investigational antibiotic, proved noninferior to dual therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated ...