A polymyxin-based potentiator for treatment of MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections

奥尼尔的报告指出，抗生素耐药性是威胁我们生活方式的最重要问题之一。未能解决这一威胁的潜在后果估计为，到2050年，每年将有1000万人死亡，经济损失将达到100万亿美元。该项目解决了最难治疗的细菌病原体之一，这种病原体对几乎所有可用的治疗选择--耐多药革兰氏阴性细菌--都变得顽固。对于这些细菌，一种名为碳青霉烯类的抗生素一直是治疗的主要药物，直到对这一类抗生素开始产生耐药性。一种名为多粘菌素的古老抗生素类别，虽然毒性很大，但随后又被复兴，以提供某种程度上不完美的权宜之计。在治疗病毒性疾病甚至结核病等细菌感染时，人们普遍认为有效的治疗需要多种药物的结合。Canab正在提议开发一种新的低毒多粘菌素衍生物与一种合作抗生素的创新组合，该组合能够为即使是最难治疗的感染提供有效的覆盖。需要公众的支持来解决抗菌市场的经济不确定性，并帮助确保Canab作为一家总部位于英国的抗生素开发商的未来。

The O'Neill report identifies antibiotic resistance as one of the most important issues threatening our way of life. The potential consequences of failure to address this threat are assessed as 10 million deaths per annum by 2050 at an economic cost of 100 trillion US dollars. This project addresses one of the most difficult to treat classes of bacterial pathogen which is becoming recalcitrant to almost all available therapeutic options - MDR Gram-negative bacteria. For these bacteria, a class of antibiotics called carbapenems was the mainstay of treatment until resistance to this class started to develop. An old antibiotic class called polymyxins, whilst rather toxic, was then revived to provide a somewhat imperfect stop gap. In treatment of viral diseases and even bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, it is accepted that combinations of drugs are needed for effective treatment. Cantab is proposing to develop an innovative combination of a novel low toxicity polymyxin derivative with a partner antibiotic which is able to provide effective coverage for even the most difficult to treat infections. Public support is needed to address the economic uncertainties of the antibacterial market and to help to secure the future of Cantab as a UK-based antibiotic developer.