Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have discovered a new antibacterial small molecule (IITR00693) that could help in the fight against drug-resistant infections.
The research was led by Prof Ranjana Pathania, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mahak Saini, and Amit Gaurav of the same institute; Ashish Kothari and Balram Ji Omar of AIIMS, Rishikesh; Varsha Gupta of Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh and Amitabha Bhattacharjee from Assam University.
“The molecule, discovered after a rigorous screening process, has shown potent antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including some of the most problematic drug-resistant strains. With many bacterial infections becoming resistant to existing treatments, the discovery of this new molecule offers the potential for more effective and targeted therapies. IITR00693 acts like a dual sword; it not only strikes down the most stubborn bacteria but also prevents the emergence of resistance, ensuring that it remains effective for generations to come,” IIT Roorkee said in a press release.
Findings of this research have been published in the American Chemical Society Journal – ACS Infectious Diseases, it added.
“This could open new research avenues on treatment options for soft and skin tissue infections.”
Talking about the discovery, Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “We are now working to further develop the molecule into a viable therapeutic agent that can be tested in clinical trials. This is an important step in the development of new antibiotics, as it will allow for the evaluation of the molecule’s safety, efficacy, and potential side effects in soft and skin tissue infections.”
Lead researcher Ranjana Pathania said, “We aimed to identify a small molecule that can potentiate currently used antibiotics. IITR00693, a novel antibacterial small molecule, potentiates the antibacterial activity of polymyxin B against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Herein, we investigated in detail the mode of action of this interaction and the molecule’s capability to combat soft-tissue infections caused by S. aureus and P.aeruginosa.”
