β-Lactam and glycopeptide antibiotics: first and last line of defense?
Most infections are caused by bacteria, many of which are ever-evolving and resistant to nearly all available antibiotics. β-Lactams and glycopeptides are used to combat these infections by inhibiting bacterial cell-wall synthesis. This mechanism remains an interesting target in the search for new antibiotics in light of failed genomic approaches and the limited input of major pharmaceutical companies. Several strategies have enriched the pipeline of bacterial cell-wall inhibitors; examples include combining screening strategies with lesser-explored microbial diversity, or reinventing known scaffolds based on structure-function relationships. Drugs developed using novel strategies will contribute to the arsenal in fight against the continued emergence of bacterial resistance.
Actygea srl, Via R. Lepetit 34, 21040 Gerenzano (VA), Italy.
Srdjan
S
Jovetic
Yang
Y
Zhu
Giorgia Letizia
GL
Marcone
Flavia
F
Marinelli
Johannes
J
Tramper
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006020:Glycopeptides; D047090:beta-Lactams