Updates

Researchers find potential drugs that can break antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK), the world’s first charity established to fight antibiotic resistance, is investigating the ways to break antibiotic resistance of bacteria by looking at the five main antibiotic classes which were used against the gram-negative bacteria which caused UTIs, pneumonia, gut infections and skin infection.


Antibiotic resistance is becoming a global threat to us all. It could lead to the end of modern medicine as we know it today, which is wholly reliant on effective antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant infections are predicted to lead to 10 million deaths per year globally by 2050 at the cost of up to $100 trillion to the world economy.

New researches from ANTRUK will help to develop new antibiotics that will fight against superbugs. The researchers found out some drugs, when combined together, will help to break the antibiotic resistance of gram-negative bacteria. They have found Antibiotic Resistance Breakers (ARBs) in the first major lab research program. Now the ARBs are progressed into more depth screening. The research, which was conducted under contract in the UK, Germany, and France, is a first step towards the charity’s goal of bringing one new antibiotic therapy into clinical use by the early 2020s. Professor Colin Garner, chief executive of Antibiotic Research UK, said that they are encouraging the antibiotic resistance breaker concept as this could cost less, and the positive findings can be immediately taken into the clinic for further research. He also concluded by saying they chose these certain species of bacteria as these are the most difficult ones to treat, and their antibiotic resistance is increasing day by day.

“These results encourage that we can save some of our most important antibiotics from resistance. When we add a second drug alongside the antibiotics which do not work anymore, the resistant bacteria once again become susceptible to our best antibiotics, which can now kill the bacteria. We will select the best combinations and then progress them towards tests in humans. And we have more ideas worthy of testing during 2017. We can save our essential antibiotic, says Dr. David Brown, chairman of the charity’s Science Committee.

See also  Demystifying GMO - What is GMO?

The race is on for scientists to develop such antibiotics, which can tackle the global crisis of increasing antimicrobial resistance(AMR). With these positive results and in-depth screenings, there might be some hope on the horizon.

Sharing is caring!