AND · Antibacterial (Nano)medicines Development

Antibacterial (Nano)medicines Development

The discovery of antibiotics in the 1950s saved millions of lives from once deadly diseases and opened possibilities for medical interventions such as organ transplants or cancer treatment, that would not be possible due to risk of life-threatening infections. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics has promoted the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including antibiotic resistance. The growing problem of AMR threatens health security, and damages trade and economies. The evolution of resistant strains is a natural phenomenon that happens when microorganisms are exposed to antimicrobial drugs, and resistant traits are transferred between microorganisms through horizontal gene transfer mechanisms. Efforts to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans and animals, improve infection control strategies and promote international cooperation will help to reduce the spread of AMR. However, research on new prevention and therapeutic strategies for bacterial infections is also urgently needed to address the lack of new drugs entering the market in the past 30 years. This was the focus of the research performed within the project “Antibacterial (Nano)medicines Development”, AND-659121. The specific objectives of the project were to identify a lead-candidate for the development of a novel broad-spectrum antibacterial (nano)medicine by improving the pharmacological properties and Gram-negative membrane permeability of previously identified bacterial histidine kinase inhibitors (HKIs). Histidine kinases (HKs) are a component of the bacterial two-component systems (TCSs), major signalling systems in bacteria.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union