Wednesday, January 25, 2023
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Antimicrobial Resistance

Novel Antibiotic Shows Success in Treatment of Plague and Melioidosis

by Global Biodefense Staff
February 17, 2022
Novel Antibiotic Shows Success in Treatment of Plague and Melioidosis

Scanning electron micrograph depicting a mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria (the cause of bubonic plague) in the foregut of the flea vector. Credit: NIAID, modified

Leading scientists at Defence Science and Technology Laboratory have made an exciting new discovery in the fight against some of the world’s deadliest biological threats.

Working in collaboration with industry, academia and the Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), an antibiotic developed to treat urinary tract infections has been shown by Dstl researchers to be successful at treating a broad spectrum of diseases including plague, and melioidosis.

The antibiotic, finafloxacin, is being developed by MerLion Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of urinary tract infections but its unique method of action has led to an improvement in activity when compared to comparator antibiotics.

Finding an antibiotic that works against a range of pathogens is really exciting. It has been almost 10 years of research, which would not have been possible without the collaboration between Dstl, MerLion Pharmaceuticals and DTRA.

Sarah Harding, Associate Professor, Defense Science and Technology Laboratory

Although plague is an old disease it can still be found in certain areas of the world. Madagascar is currently in the middle of an outbreak, with patients displaying symptoms including fever, headache, chills, weakness and one or more swollen lymph nodes.

Melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei and is endemic in tropical climates, especially in Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Research is ongoing, but scientists are confident the new antibiotic will be an alternative countermeasure to help fight deadly diseases.

Finafloxacin Is an Effective Treatment for Inhalational Tularemia and Plague in Mouse Models of Infection. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 18 May 2021

ABSTRACT: Infection with aerosolized Francisella tularensis or Yersinia pestis can lead to lethal disease in humans if treatment is not initiated promptly. Finafloxacin is a novel fluoroquinolone which has demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against a range of bacterial species in vitro, in vivo, and in humans, activity which is superior in acidic, infection-relevant conditions. Human-equivalent doses of finafloxacin or ciprofloxacin were delivered at 24 h (representing prophylaxis) or at 72 or 38 h (representing treatment) postchallenge with F. tularensis or Y. pestis, respectively, in BALB/c mouse models. In addition, a short course of therapy (3 days) was compared to a longer course (7 days). Both therapies provided a high level of protection against both infections when administered at 24 h postchallenge, irrespective of the length of the dosing regimen; however, differences were observed when therapy was delayed. A benefit was demonstrated with finafloxacin compared to ciprofloxacin in both models when therapy was delivered later in the infection. These studies suggest that finafloxacin is an effective alternative therapeutic for the prophylaxis and treatment of inhalational infections with F. tularensis or Y. pestis.

READ ALSO:

  • Biological Effects of Quinolones: A Family of Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Agents Molecules
  • Delafloxacin, Finafloxacin, and Zabofloxacin: Novel Fluoroquinolones in the Antibiotic Pipeline Antibiotics
  • Exploitation of the bilosome platform technology to formulate antibiotics and enhance efficacy of melioidosis treatments Journal of Controlled Release
  • DTRA Acquisition Forecast HDTRA112D0003001910 JAN 2022 – $4,646,158 to Ministry of Defence for Research and Development Services Efficacy of Finafloxacin Against Biological Threat Agents
Tags: BurkholderiaDrug DiscoveryDrug RepurposingEditor PickSelect AgentsY. pestis

Related Posts

DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model
Medical Countermeasures

DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model

January 13, 2023
small glass vials on an assembly line await filling of vaccine solution
Industry News

Sabin Vaccine Institute to Advance Ebola Sudan and Marburg Vaccines with New BARDA Funding

January 12, 2023
How Are Bivalent COVID Vaccines Stacking Up Against Omicron?
Infectious Diseases

How Are Bivalent COVID Vaccines Stacking Up Against Omicron?

January 12, 2023
NISTCHO: New Living Reference Material for Producing Monoclonal Antibodies
Medical Countermeasures

NISTCHO: New Living Reference Material for Producing Monoclonal Antibodies

January 12, 2023
Load More

Latest News

Partner Therapeutics’ Novel Approach to Stratify Sepsis Patients Gains Backing From BARDA

Biopreparedness Research Virtual Environment (BRaVE) Initiative Backed by $105M DOE Funding

January 25, 2023
Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

January 25, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

January 24, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

January 17, 2023

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC