Development of novel ansamycin antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

结核分枝杆菌（M.tb）是结核病（TB）的病原体。世界卫生组织（WHO）估计，每20秒就有一人死于结核病，每年约有170万人。越来越多的结核分枝杆菌菌株对一线和二线抗生素治疗具有耐药性。这种细菌可以在体内潜伏很长一段时间，并且治疗可以持续长达一年。迫切需要对耐药菌株有效的新型抗生素。Demuris与纽卡斯尔大学合作发现了一种新的抗生素，这种抗生素与结核病的一线治疗方法类似，但关键的是，它对多重耐药菌株有活性。这个项目将使我们能够制造一系列密切相关的化合物，并测试它们作为抗结核药物开发所需的一系列特性。

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that someone dies from TB every 20 seconds, which is around 1.7 million people per year. There is a growing emergence of M.tb strains which are resistant to first and second line antibiotic treatments. The bacterium can hide in the body remaining dormant for long periods of time, and treatments can last up to one year. New antibiotics that are effective against drug resistant strains are urgently needed. Demuris, in collaboration with Newcastle University, has identified novel antibiotics that are similar to the first-line treatment for TB but, crucially, are active against multi-drug resistant strains. This project will allow us to make a series of closely related compounds, and test these for the range of properties needed for development as an anti-TB drug.