Breakthrough antibiotic that may protect millions enters final human trials
What's the story
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced the start of final human trials for a new antibiotic, zosurabalpin.
The drug was developed in collaboration with Harvard University and is being tested against serious hospital infections such as pneumonia and sepsis.
The Phase 3 trial will involve around 400 patients from across the globe.
Drug resistance
Zosurabalpin's potential to combat drug-resistant bacteria
The antibiotic will be tested against the drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers an "urgent threat."
It has been over 50 years since any antibiotic was created that reacts to this particular bacteria.
The researchers are optimistic that this experimental drug could get approved by the end of the decade.
Public health challenge
Roche's commitment to tackling antimicrobial resistance
Michael Lobritz, Roche's global head of infectious diseases, emphasized their dedication to combating antimicrobial resistance.
He said, "Our goal is to contribute new innovations to overcome antimicrobial resistance, one of the biggest infectious disease challenges to public health."
Larry Tsai, senior vice president at a Roche unit and head of immunology there, pointed out that drug-resistant bacteria are found worldwide.
Future implications
Zosurabalpin's innovative biology could lead to future antibiotic discoveries
Tsai also hinted that the unique biology behind this research could provide new knowledge about bacterial membranes.
This could possibly pave the way for the discovery of new antibiotics in the future.
The potential impact of zosurabalpin is huge, considering that sepsis kills 11 million people every year and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) claims at least three to four million lives annually.