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For the first time in over 30 years, researchers at Dalhousie University, DeNovaMed Inc. and the University of Toronto have developed a new family of antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria, addressing a concern the World Health Organization has identified as one of the three greatest threats to human health.

Antimicrobial medicines are the cornerstone of modern medicine, so the spread of drug-resistant pathogens makes it more difficult to do everything from treating common infections to performing life-saving procedures, including many surgeries.

"The development of a unique family of synthesizable antibiotics against a brand new drug target makes this research and development a major advance," says study co-author Dr. Christopher McMaster, scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Genetics and a professor of Pharmacology at Dalhousie.

"This is not a single molecule that has potential antibiotic properties, but is a focused library of numerous compounds that have efficacy against multidrug-resistant bacteria including the major multidrug-resistant strains that are causing the increase in human death."

The antibiotics have the potential to be delivered by different routes, including topically, orally or via intravenous, opening avenues to treat numerous types of bacterial infections.

Resistance to antibiotics occurs when bacteria evolve and become immune to the effects of these drugs. With an estimated five million deaths a year associated with antimicrobial resistance -- a number that is rapidly rising -- this narrowing of antibiotic options is leaving health-care providers with limited choices when treating infections.

The Dalhousie researchers, led by Dr. McMaster, used computer-aided drug design to develop the unique antibiotic family against the target AcpS, an enzyme that is essential for bacterial survival. In tests, they show that the drug is effective in treating certain infections, including one linked to diabetic foot ulcers.

"This research presents a unique potential to bring new antibiotic treatments to market, with broad clinical application. The exhaustive article published in Nature Communications serves as a testament to the significance of the breakthrough and also provides third-party, scientific validation of the technology," says Z. Sam Ruttonsha, a director of DeNovaMed, a pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel antibiotics.

"By partnering with the DeNovaMed team, investors and pharmaceutical companies can take action to reduce the risk of future bacterial-based pandemics."

Dr. McMaster, president of DeNovaMed, says the next step is to raise funding to complete safety and toxicity work and eventually enable a human trial.

Author contacts:

Dr. Christopher McMaster
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Genetics
Professor of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University
Email: Christopher.mcmaster@dal.ca

Z. Sam Ruttonsha
Director & Chief Business Officer, DeNovaMed Inc.
Tel: 1-416-489-6540
Email: zsr@hanburymanagement.com

Media contact:

Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca