Aquapharm discovers new antibiotic compound against multi-drug resistant bacteria

A significant discovery in the development of next-generation antibiotics has been made by Scottish biotechnology company Aquapharm.    

The firm has discovered a new antibiotic compound thought to be effective against a broad spectrum of Multi-Drug Resistant bacteria including Multi-Drug Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MDRSA) and Multi-Drug resistant Streptococcus Pneumoniae (MDRSP), Clostridium Difficile and Enteroccocus Faecalis which are common causes of death in patients in hospital care units.

The compound, 'AQP-182', is one of a number of druggable new molecules identified by Aquapharm from its collection of more than 10,000 marine micro-organisms.

Its scientists recently screened a fraction of the collection to look for micro-organisms which may have anti-infective and anti-inflammatory properties - and discovered 16 compounds with potent pharmacological potential.

Five new chemical entities, including AQP-182, are now in preclinical development at Aquapharm for the treatment of bacterial infections resistant to existing therapies.

Dr. Tim Morley, Aquapharm's Chief Scientific Officer, said: "We are very pleased with the output of our drug discovery platform based on marine microorganisms. From an initial screening of a small portion of our natural product library we have identified 16 novel compounds belonging to totally novel and diverse chemical classes. The most advanced compound AQP-182 has a promising pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profile which is extremely relevant for the treatment of hard to treat resistant bacterial infections".

Initial in vivo studies of AQP-182 suggest greater potency than the current 'best-in-class' drug used against MDRSA, and Aquapharm's experts believe it could have the potential for once-a-day dosing.

A Phase I clinical trial is expected in the second half of 2013.

Professor Simon Best, CEO of Aquapharm, said the data demonstrated the potential of marine natural products as a rich source of pharmaceutical chemistry.

He said: "Not only have natural products been the source of, or the inspiration for, over 75 per cent of the new small-molecule chemical entities introduced as pharmaceuticals over the past 50 years - they remain a fundamental source of new chemical diversity and an integral component of modern science's pharmaceutical armoury."