Bacterial resistance remains one of the biggest obstacles to antibiotic efficacy and spurs the constant search for next-generation antimicrobials. Oxacins can kill bacteria by inhibiting the activity of DNA gyrase. As potential next-generation oxacin-like drugs, researchers at Southwest University and collaborators have developed thiazolylcyanovinyl benzopyridone acids, among which the ethyl compound [I] turned out to be effective at killing several gram-negative and -positive bacterial strains in vitro as well as Klebsiella pneumonia in biofilms. It also eliminated wound infection in mice, without causing obvious off-target toxicity.