There is an urgent need to develop new antibiotics and new methods to treat antibiotic-resistant "super bacteria". Now, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California report that they have developed a new biomimetic molecule that can effectively eliminate bacterial infections in animal models. This molecule acts as an immunostimulant rather than an antibiotic, providing a new method for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections.
Their research results were published in an article entitled "Host-directed macrocyclic peptide therapeutics for MDR gram-negative bacterial infections" in the journal Scientific Reports, by Assistant Professor of Research Pathology at Keck School of Medicine Lead by Dr. Justin Schaal.
"The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) pathogen infections has posed an urgent public health threat because carbapenems are caused by an increasing number of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria One of the last means of infection," the researcher wrote. "The global consensus is that there is an urgent need for new prevention and treatment strategies to combat the growing problem of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Here, we report a new type of macrocyclic peptide that minimizes theta-defensin (MTD)-12813 in The efficacy of CRE in sepsis."
Antibiotics have always been the standard for the treatment of bacterial infections. Although there are dozens of varieties, almost all of them work through their ability to directly kill bacteria or prevent their proliferation.
"This is the root cause of antibiotic resistance," Schall said. "Bacteria have a huge capacity for rapid evolution, which allows them to overcome directly acting antibiotic molecules."
The researchers bioengineered the molecules and screened them for their ability to fight Klebsiella infections in mouse models. The most effective peptide they created is a highly stable cyclic peptide called MTD12813.
More research is needed to determine the exact working principle of MTD12813, however, researchers know that it activates macrophages and neutrophils in the immune system. The peptide also regulates the immune response and reduces poorly regulated inflammation.
"We call this peptide a host-directed anti-infective drug because it does not directly kill bacteria like traditional antibiotics, but stimulates the host-us-to fight infection," said Shahr.
Through a license agreement with the University of Southern California, the technology will now be further developed in cooperation with Oryn Therapeutics.
"Based on this and related research conducted at the University of Southern California, Oryn is developing a new class of macrocyclic peptides as drugs for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer. We will report in this publication. The important scientific advances made in China have translated into very optimistic prospects for successful treatment of increasingly dangerous bacterial infections,” said Robert Owen, CEO of Oryn.
"This new discovery on how to stimulate the host to remove bacteria is very timely," he added.
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