A team from the University of Southern Denmark has reported the discovery of a novel triaromatic pleuromutilin antibiotic candidate for the treatment of gram-positive bacterial infections. Hit evaluation and optimization of previously reported drug-like pleuromutilin conjugates with broad antibacterial activity led to the identification of compound [I] as the most potent and easily synthesizable antibiotic lead.
In a study from the PHOSP-COVID and ISARIC-4C consortia in the U.K., researchers have discovered inflammatory processes taking place during what is termed “long COVID.” Long COVID is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the continuation or development of new symptoms for 3 or more months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is estimated that 1 in 10 SARS-CoV-2 infections results in long COVID, thus affecting about 65 million people worldwide.
SARS-CoV-2 could proliferate in the lungs causing severe COVID-19 through a special type of immune cell. A group of scientists from Stanford University observed how this coronavirus infected interstitial macrophages through a CD209 receptor, triggering the inflammatory response observed in hospitalized patients.
Researchers from Second Military Medical University PLA (Shanghai) and affiliated organizations announced the discovery and preclinical characterization of novel antifungal small-molecule candidates.
The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to the active ingredient in Soligenix Inc.’s Suvax, a subunit protein vaccine of recombinantly expressed Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) glycoprotein, for the prevention and post-exposure prophylaxis against SUDV infection. SUDV is a type of ebolavirus for which there is no current treatment or vaccine.
Researchers at Schrodinger Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have described 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of coronavirus acute respiratory syndrome.
Vanqua Bio Inc. has divulged C5a anaphylatoxin chemotactic receptor 1 (C5aR; CD88) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune disease, cancer, infections and cardiovascular, inflammatory and neurological disorders.
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. has been awarded a grant from CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) to support initial preclinical activities on the antibiotics program recently acquired from Spexis.
Gram-negative bacteria require the metalloenzyme LpxC for their outer membrane biogenesis. Blacksmith Medicines Inc. has identified an LpxC inhibitor, FG-960, which has shown a robust in vitro and in vivo profile against multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales. FG-60 is currently being investigated for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
FmlH is a bacterial adhesin of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) that has been shown to be up-regulated during chronic UPEC infection. Washington University scientists recently disclosed the discovery and preclinical evaluation of novel FmlH lectin antagonists as potential candidates for the treatment of chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney infections.