Drug-resistant superbug highlights need for new antibiotics

A new superbug equipped with a gene that renders the current generation of antibiotics useless has begun to spread around the globe. The bacteria--which is armed with the NDM-1 gene--has been found in close to 200 patients in south Asia as well as the UK, raising the prospect that it will soon appear in other countries as well. MRSA has already raised fears about drug-resistant bacteria, spurring a lineup of biotech companies to start work on a new generation of bacteria-fighters. But...

299423: GSK cites progress with a new-gen antibiotic

Investigators at GlaxoSmithKline are excited about the prospect of a new antibiotic that uses a different approach to kill drug-resistant bacteria now rampaging through hospitals. Imaging technology has captured proof that the antibiotic latches on to the enzyme topoisomerase, which bacteria need to replicate. A generation of quinolones has effectively targeted that enzyme. But they're losing effectiveness and GSK, teamed with the Wellcome Trust's Seeding Drug Discovery initiative and the U.S....

Flush with cash, Achaogen continues antibiotic work

Xconomy profiles 2009 Fierce 15 winner Achaogen, a South San Francisco-based antibiotics developer that has raised loads of funding from both the government and venture capital investors. In April the developer raised a heft $56 million in Series C financing to support work on its antibiotic pipeline. Antibiotic development has been largely ignored by Big Pharma, but there's a critical need for new drugs to treat bacteria that have become resistant to other medications. The...