Ulysses Pharma issued U.S. patent for novel class of antibiotics

Ulysses Pharma has announced the issuance of US Patent 7,410,974, covering its novel class of antibiotics which target drug resistant bacteria.

The FQN class of antibiotics are designed to make the development of resistance almost impossible, because of their exquisite potency, rapid killing of bacteria and multiple mechanisms of action. This is the first in a series of patents covering the company's technology to combat drug resistant bacteria.

"This first patent secures the intellectual property on our approach to treat resistant bacteria, using new chemistry against an established antibacterial target", commented Roger Léger, VP R&D Chemistry. "We believe this technology holds promise for the treatment of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial infections."

In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recorded some 19,000 deaths from methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, a Gram positive resistant bacterial infection. On the Gram negative side, which includes difficult to treat pathogens such as Pseudomonas and Klebsiella, morbidity and mortality are increasing at a rapid pace across North America and the world, with very limited treatment options.