New antibodies could help us tackle drug-resistant infections
Australian researchers have created special antibodies that target a sugar found only in bacteria, opening up a fresh approach to tackle drug-resistant infections.
Their work, just published in Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to better treatments for tough hospital bugs like Acinetobacter baumannii.
Antibodies can attack harmful bacteria without harming human cells
The team focused on pseudaminic acid—a sugar unique to bacteria and totally absent in humans—so their antibodies can attack harmful bugs without messing with our own cells.
As co-author Nichollas Scott put it, this breakthrough finally cracks a problem that's stumped scientists for years.
Research team hopes to turn findings into real-world treatments
By making synthetic versions of the sugar, the researchers built antibodies that latch onto it really well.
In mouse tests, these antibodies helped immune cells spot and kill drug-resistant A. baumannii—the kind of germ behind serious hospital infections.
The team hopes to turn these findings into real-world treatments over the next five years.