The technology allows for the development of antimicrobial agents with novel scaffolds and may also have other therapeutic applications.
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A U.S. Provisional Patent Application has been filed for this technology. A novel class of antimicrobial agents that demonstrate significant and unexpected potency against gram-positive bacteria Abstract According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year at least 2 million people acquire serious infections with antibiotic resistant bacteria, and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of such infections. Estimated economic costs of antibiotic resistance have been estimated to be as high as $20 billion in healthcare with an additional $35 billion in lost productivity. In addition, development of new antibiotics to combat bacterial infections has declined. In the past three decades, only two new classes of antibiotics appeared in the market, creating a high demand for new compounds. The lack of new antibiotics combined with antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to global health. Researchers at NC State have developed a novel class of antimicrobial agents that demonstrate significant and unexpected potency and selectivity, especially against gram-positive bacteria. The antimicrobial agents are analogs of a 4-oxazolidinone natural product with some molecules exhibiting remarkable effectiveness against difficult pathogens such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Features of the technology include function via bactericidal mechanisms, effectiveness against biofilms, low-toxicity to mammalian and red blood cells and a 14-fold improved minimum inhibitory concentration among some analogs. The technology allows for the development of antimicrobial agents with novel scaffolds and may also have other therapeutic applications. Advantages Effective against multi-drug resistant gram-positive bacteria, particularly MRSA Exhibits efficacy at eradicating Staphylococcus aureus biofilms Significant and unexpected potency 14-fold improved minimum inhibitory concentration in some analogs Low-toxicity to mammalian and red blood cells Technology #16304 Categories Diseases Infectious Therapeutic Antibiotic