Sunday, April 14, 2013

Antibiotic Epimerox which do not develop resistance

New antibiotic Epimerox developed with novel approach which do not develop resistance.

Antibiotic are molecules which are basically derived from metabolites of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, which in very less concentration are able to inhibit growth of other microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, virus. With ability of antibiotics to inhibit growth of other bacteria, bacteria too develop a system which neutralizes antibiotic activity a process known as development of resistance against antibiotics, and it is great challenge today for treating infections like MSRA.

Scientists from Rockefeller University and Astex Pharmaceuticals have developed antibiotic Epimerox
Which is capable of even acting against drug-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) bacteria , and Bacillus anthracis(anthrax) without developing any spontaneous resistance.

They studied pathway by which virus (bacteriophase) which infect and destroy bacteria Bacillus anthracis , and found that an enzyme 2-epimerase is essential for bacterial growth, which lead them for synthesis of molecule Epimerox which inhibits 2-epimerase without developing resistance.
This is a novel approach, for designing an antibiotic which will not develop resistance have used mechanism by which a bacteriophase infects bacteria

Apart from conventional fermentation technology antibiotics are also semi-synthetic. Commercially synthesized in laboratory by using a precursor derived from a microbial origin and using it for futher synthesis of a derivative by chemical synthesis or with the help of biotechnology.

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