title: Advances in MRSA drug discovery: where are we and where do we need to be?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been on the increase during the past decade, due to the steady growth of the elderly and immunocompromised patients, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Although there are a limited number of anti-MRSA drugs available, a number of different combination antimicrobial drug regimens have been used to treat serious MRSA infections. Thus, the addition of several new antistaphylococcal drugs into clinical practice should broaden clinician's therapeutic options. As MRSA is one of the most common and problematic bacteria associated with increasing antimicrobial resistance, continuous efforts for the discovery of lead compounds as well as development of alternative therapies and faster diagnostics are required.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article summarizes the FDA-approved drugs to treat MRSA infections, the drugs in clinical trials, and the drug leads for MRSA and related Gram-positive bacterial infections. In addition, the article discusses the mode of action of antistaphylococcal molecules and the resistant mechanisms of some molecules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of pipeline drugs presently undergoing clinical trials is not particularly encouraging. There are limited and rather expensive therapeutic options for MRSA infections in the critically ill. Further research efforts are required for effective phage therapy on MRSA infections in clinical use, which seem to be attractive therapeutic options for the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee, 881 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. mkurosu@uthsc.edu
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosu
authors.forename: Shajila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siricilla
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitachi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D055808:Drug Discovery; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents