Scientists find hidden antibiotic 100x stronger against deadly superbugs
6 days ago
- #medical-research
- #superbugs
- #antibiotics
- Scientists discovered a hidden antibiotic, pre-methylenomycin C lactone, 100 times stronger than existing drugs against superbugs like MRSA and VRE.
- The antibiotic was found in Streptomyces coelicolor, a well-studied bacterium, highlighting an overlooked intermediate in antibiotic production.
- No signs of resistance to pre-methylenomycin C lactone were observed, even under conditions that typically lead to resistance against vancomycin.
- The discovery suggests a new approach to antibiotic discovery by examining intermediates in natural compound pathways.
- A scalable synthesis method for pre-methylenomycin C lactone has been developed, enabling further research and potential clinical applications.
- The antibiotic could help combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which causes an estimated 1.1 million deaths annually.