A groundbreaking antibiotic, Zosurabalpin, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, shows promise in combating a deadly bacterial strain known as CRAB, which has developed resistance to conventional medications. This development is crucial in the face of antimicrobial resistance, where ‘superbugs’ pose a significant global health threat, causing over a million deaths annually. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of an impending “post-antibiotic” era, where routine infections and surgeries could become life-threatening.
CRAB, classified as a ‘priority 1 critical’ pathogen by the WHO, has mortality estimates ranging from 40 to 60 percent for invasive infections. Zosurabalpin demonstrated efficacy in lab tests by eliminating highly drug-resistant strains of Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in mice. If these results can be replicated in human trials, Zosurabalpin may become the first new antibiotic for CRAB-like infections since 1968.
Acinetobacter baumannii, a Gram-negative bacterium, is particularly challenging to treat due to its outer membrane that hinders most antibiotics. Zosurabalpin works by disrupting the bacterium’s ability to maintain its protective membrane, leading to its destruction. Scientists hope that understanding this mechanism could pave the way for the development of new medications targeting other superbugs.
Dr. Michael Lobritz, head of infectious diseases and early development at Roche, emphasizes the underestimated threat of superbugs, labelling antimicrobial resistance as a “silent pandemic” projected to claim more lives than cancer over the next 30 years. Rd. Andrew Edwards from Imperial College London applauds the research, noting the significant challenge in developing treatments for CRAB infections.
Published in the journal Nature, experiments with Zosurabalpin revealed its effectiveness in reducing bacteria levels in mice with CRAB-induced pneumonia and preventing death in rodents with CRAB-related sepsis. While promising, these results are yet to be replicated in human trials, a critical stage where many medications fail.
A landmark study in 2022 highlighted that antibiotic-resistant infections directly caused 1.2 million deaths in 2019, with drug-resistant CRAB alone responsible for 50,000 to 100,000 deaths. The UK, facing endemic CRAB in its hospitals, lacks specific mortality figures. Antibiotic misuse contributes to bacterial drug resistance.
In a related development, a ‘mothballed’ Covid mega lab, the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory, is up for sale on Rightmove. MPs advocate repurposing it for research on microscopic viruses called phages, which target and destroy bacteria. The lab, initially established for Covid testing, processed 8.5 million swabs during the
pandemic but closed unexpectedly after 18 months. The proposed research facility could play a crucial role in developing new drugs to combat the superbug threat, aligning with global efforts to address antimicrobial resistance.
