One in six common bacterial infections diagnosed worldwide in 2023 were resistant to treatment with antibiotics, according to the latest surveillance data gathered by the World Health Organization (WHO). Drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria that cause bloodstream infections that can lead to sepsis, organ failure and death are an increasing threat globally.

Tyra Biosciences Inc. recently presented the design and preclinical characterization of TYRA-200, an oral small-molecule FGFR1/2/3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that shows high potency against all common mutant forms of FGFR2 and holds potential for the treatment of cancers driven by FGFR2 alterations.

Bacteria also defend themselves against pathogen attacks using mechanisms like those of the immune system. But if there is a system to repel an attack, it can also be dismantled. Scientists at the University of Southampton have described the components of Kiwa, a protein complex that blocks the entry of phage DNA, which are viruses that infect bacteria. They have also uncovered how Kiwa interacts with other bacterial defense strategies.