A novel adjuvant combatting Carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest global health threats today. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) designated already in 2011, antimicrobial resistance as the biggest health threat to humanity. An established strategy for combating antimicrobial resistance is to use a combination of antibiotic together with an Antibiotic Resistance Breaker (ARB) that interact with known antibiotics in such a way that the effect of antibiotics is enhanced. Through close collaboration between the research team headed by Professor Pål Rongved, UiO, School of Pharmacy, and Professor Ørjan Samuelsen, Head of the K-res Center at the University Hospital in Northern Norway (UNN), a new class of ARBs has been developed. The new ARBs significantly enhances the effects of antibiotics against resistant Gram-negative bacteria. This work has been funded by the Research Council of Norway, the BIOTEK2021 Program, in the period 2015-2017. In addition, the work has received support from the Novo Foundation. By screening of approx. 250 new ARBs, approx. 50 ARBs demonstrated highly promising antimicrobial activity in combination with antibiotics. Among the 50, five are now selected as potential clinical candidates. The Forny project will finance a) Selection of a Lead Candidate from these five b) The necessary pre-clinical documentation of the Lead Candidate and c) The commercialization of the Technology.