The discovery, made by British scientists, involved the development of new versions of the teixobactin molecule, which is believed to be able to kill bacteria without destroying the mammalian tissue in which it was tested. A team of researchers was able to use it to successfully kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – a so-called supermicrobial known as MRSA, which is resistant to many widely used antibiotics – in a study in mice. Read more: UK reveals plans to combat ‘antibiotic disclosure’ threat Image: Global health officials have repeatedly warned of an increase in drug-resistant bacteria due to the misuse of antibiotics Teixobactin was first hailed as a “game-changing” antibiotic in 2015, but the new project developed a “synthetic” class of the drug, according to scientists. Because synthetic versions can be stored at room temperature, the worldwide distribution of the drug is much easier. In 2019, more than 1.2 million people died from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, according to a January 2021 study in The Lancet. World health officials have repeatedly warned of an increase in drug-resistant bacteria and other germs due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which encourages microorganisms to grow into “hyperbacteria”. However, future patients could be treated with a single daily dose of teixobactin for systemic, life-threatening bacterial infections. The cost of materials was reduced 2,000 times Leaders of the project, which was delivered in collaboration with Lincoln University, also hope the tests could pave the way for cheap large-scale drug production. Exchanging some amino acids in the molecule with cheaper alternatives, they said the cost of the materials has been reduced more than 2,000 times. Lead researcher Dr Ishwar Singh said the discovery was an important step towards unleashing the full medical potential of teixobactin to treat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “Our ultimate goal is to have a range of viable drugs from our modular synthetic teixobactin platform that can be used as a ‘last line of defense’ against microbes to save lives that are currently being lost to AMR,” said Dr. Singh. Dr Phil Packer, of Innovate UK, the organization that delivered the latest work, said the results were “excellent”. Dr Packer said new classes of antibiotics were needed to treat AMR because the existing molecules were already familiar to the bacteria, making it more likely to develop resistance. “We are excited about the results, which have confirmed the promise of synthetic teixobactin to treat resistant bacterial infections when the antibiotics used today fail. We look forward to watching this journey closely in the future,” he said. Health Minister welcomes “innovation” Health Minister Sajid Javid said: “It is fantastic to see such innovative work as it is happening in the UK – another clear example of this country being at the forefront of scientific progress that can benefit people around the world.” An AMR review commissioned by the UK government predicts that by 2050 an additional 10 million people will be exposed to drug-resistant infections each year. COVID is also believed to accelerate the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, meaning that the development of new antibiotics that can be used as a last resort when other drugs fail is vital, scientists said.
