Staph wars: the antibiotic pipeline strikes back
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Douglas, Edward JA
Laabei, Maisem
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Antibiotic chemotherapy is widely regarded as one of the most significant medical advancements in history. However, the continued misuse of antibiotics has contributed to the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally. Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, has become synonymous with multidrug resistance and is a leading antimicrobial-resistant pathogen causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. This review focuses on (1) the targets of current anti-staphylococcal antibiotics and the specific mechanisms that confirm resistance; (2) an in-depth analysis of recently licensed antibiotics approved for the treatment of S. aureus infections; and (3) an examination of the pre-clinical pipeline of anti-staphylococcal compounds. In addition, we examine the molecular mechanism of action of novel antimicrobials and derivatives of existing classes of antibiotics, collate data on the emergence of resistance to new compounds and provide an overview of key data from clinical trials evaluating anti-staphylococcal compounds. We present several successful cases in the development of alternative forms of existing antibiotics that have activity against multidrug-resistant S. aureus. Pre-clinical antimicrobials show promise, but more focus and funding are required to develop novel classes of compounds that can curtail the spread of and sustainably control antimicrobial-resistant S. aureus infections.
Date Issued
2023-09-01
Date Acceptance
2023-08-14
Citation
Microbiology, 2023, 169 (9)
ISSN
1350-0872
Publisher
Microbiology Society
Journal / Book Title
Microbiology
Volume
169
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Authors This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
001387
Date Publish Online
2023-09-01