A new class of antibiotic has been discovered

The antibiotic was named zosurabalpine. In experimental studies, the antibiotic was effective against a carbapenem-resistant strain of A. baumannii (CRAB).

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections pose a serious global threat to public health. Effective treatment of bacterial infections is the backbone of modern healthcare, enabling medical technologies such as transplantation, cancer chemotherapy and surgery. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a silent pandemic that undermines the safety of these essential medical interventions and is becoming an increasing cause of death worldwide. Antibiotic resistance is accumulating disproportionately among specific Gram-negative pathogens. To better coordinate global efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have classified antimicrobial-resistant pathogens that urgently require new antibiotics and pose the greatest threat to human health. Antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii was categorized as Priority 1: WHO Critical Pathogen and CDC Urgent Threat.

A. baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium, as are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli. This type of bacteria is resistant due to their outer membrane consisting of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Many antibiotics cannot penetrate this protective membrane. Zosurabalpine acts directly on the LPS of the bacteria. Without the ability to transport LPS, bacteria die.

The new drug may bypass the defenses that CRAB has developed to other drugs, but more research is needed. Clinical trials of zosuralpin are currently underway.