title: Investigational drugs to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This is to a large extent due to antibiotic-resistant strains, in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). While the toll of invasive MRSA infections appears to decrease in U.S. hospitals, the rate of community-associated MRSA infections remains constant and there is a surge of MRSA in many other countries, a situation that calls for continuing if not increased efforts to find novel strategies to combat MRSA infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review provides an overview of current investigational drugs and therapeutic antibodies against S. aureus in early clinical development (up to phase II clinical development). It includes a short description of the mechanism of action and a presentation of microbiological and clinical data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased recent antibiotic development efforts and results from pathogenesis research have led to several new antibiotics and therapies, such as anti-virulence drugs, as well as a more informed selection of targets for vaccination efforts against MRSA. This developing portfolio of novel anti-staphylococcal drugs will hopefully provide us with additional and more efficient ways to combat MRSA infections in the near future and prevent us from running out of treatment options, even if new resistances arise.
authors.affiliation: a Principal Scientist/Laboratory Head, Bacteriology , AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 475/Geb. 302, 42117 Wuppertal , Germany.
authors.forename: Cuong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vuong
authors.affiliation: b Post-baccalaureate IRTA, Laboratory of Bacteriology , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Bldg. 33, 1W10, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , MD 20892 , USA.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: c Staff Scientist, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Bacteriology , Bldg. 33, 1W10, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , MD 20892 , USA.
authors.forename: Gordon Y C
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: d Senior Investigator, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Bacteriology , Bldg. 33, 1W10, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , MD 20892 , USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015195:Drug Design; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational
keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; antibiotic resistance; antibiotics; quorum-sensing blockers; therapeutic antibodies; therapeutics; vaccine