Antibiotic drought may be over

Credit: BGLH

There are two problems with antibiotics:
1. lack of new antibiotics — since 1987, no new antibiotic has been approved for clinical practice
2. resistance — hence, “superbug” — e.g. antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis

Together, these two problems have raised the spectre of a future without antibiotics.

Now, a new method of identifying new antibiotics has been developed. Twenty five antibiotics have so far been discovered, using this method, with the promise of more to come.

Teixobactin, most promising of the new antibiotics, works in a way not seen before: by attacking fats which are essential to building the cell wall of bacteria.

Because of this unique method of operation, it is hoped that resistance won’t be a problem. While there are reasons to hope that this may be true, similar claims have been made for many, if not all new antibiotics & antiseptics.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30657486

More on antibiotic-resistance:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/antibiotics/superbugs.htm / decades long drought antibiotic discovery breakthrough US scientists novel method growing bacteria yielded 25 new antibiotics very promising new class antibiotics clinic discovered nearly three decades ago study Nature game changer game-changer experts antibiotic heyday antibiotic discovery 1950s and 1960s into doctor's hands microbes incredibly resistant extensiveley drug resistant tuburculosis medicine soil researchers researcher research Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts source nearly all antibiotics soil teeming with microbes grow grown laboratory lab team created subterranean hotel bacteria bacterium room device buried in soil unique chemistry of soil permeate room study scientists grow nearly half of all soil bacteria chemicals produced microbes dug up researcher's back yard tested for antimicrobial properties lead scientist Prof Kim Lewis 25 new antibiotics discovered method teixobactin latest most promising study shows uncultured cultured bacteria harbour novel chemistry not seen before promising source new antimicrobials revive field antibiotic discovery tests teixobactin toxic to bacteria not mammalian tissues clear deadly dose of MRSA tests on mice human tests needed researchers develop resistance teixobactin targets fats essential building bacterial cell wall difficult to evolve resistance antibiotic evolvedfree of resistance Professor Lewis several independent different tricks minimise resistance development /