Novel antimicrobial agents for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Rachel Yoon Kyung Chang; Sue C Nang; Hak-Kim Chan; Jian Li

doi:10.1016/j.addr.2022.114378

Novel antimicrobial agents for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2022 Aug:187:114378. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114378. Epub 2022 Jun 4.

Authors

Rachel Yoon Kyung Chang¹, Sue C Nang², Hak-Kim Chan³, Jian Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ Advanced Drug Delivery Group, Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: yoon.chang@sydney.edu.au.
² Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
³ Advanced Drug Delivery Group, Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: jian.li@monash.edu.

PMID: 35671882
DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114378

Abstract

Antibiotic therapy has become increasingly ineffective against bacterial infections due to the rise of resistance. In particular, ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) have caused life-threatening infections in humans and represent a major global health threat due to a high degree of antibiotic resistance. To respond to this urgent call, novel strategies are urgently needed, such as bacteriophages (or phages), phage-encoded enzymes, immunomodulators and monoclonal antibodies. This review critically analyses these promising antimicrobial therapies for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Recent advances in these novel therapeutic strategies are discussed, focusing on preclinical and clinical investigations, as well as combinatorial approaches. In this 'Bad Bugs, No Drugs' era, novel therapeutic strategies can play a key role in treating deadly infections and help extend the lifetime of antibiotics.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Bacteriophage (phage); ESKAPE; Endolysin; Immunomodulators; Monoclonal antibodies.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Acinetobacter baumannii*
Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
Bacterial Infections* / drug therapy
Bacteriophages*
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
Enterococcus faecium*
Humans

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents