title: Novel Antibacterial Agents: An Emergent Need to Win the Battle Against Infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple strategies have been recommended for prevention and control of antibacterial resistance. Solutions will need to be found soon if we are not to run the serious risk of losing the ability to treat bacterial infections, especially the ones arising from multi-resistant strains. Deep knowledge of the resistance mechanisms followed by novel therapeutic drugs and vaccines are needed. A consolidated, multidisciplinary and regulated strategy is required by this challenge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review will be focused on new strategies to control infections. Among strategies to tackle antibiotic resistance that have been under investigation, are the use of antimicrobial peptides, phage therapy and phage enzymes, therapeutic antibodies, quorum sensing inhibitors and, finally, the antibacterial nanomedicines. Although all of the approaches seem to be effective, and at least one of them has been in use for relatively a long time (phage therapy), antibacterial nanomedicines show the most diverse range of different approaches regarding potential translation to clinics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several advances have been made but a great effort is still mandatory in order to reach feasible, effective and marketable novel antimicrobial products.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Natércia G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudos Educacionais (CIED), Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Campus de Benfica do IPL,1549-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Monge
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel A C
authors.initials: IAC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibacterial nanomedicines; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial peptides; bacteriophages; monoclonal antibodies; quorum-sensing inhibitors