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CMCC 2371

Novel Antibiotic from a Costa Rican Fungus

Inventors: Patrick Ymele-Leki, Jon Clardy, Shugeng Cao, Paula Watnick

Invention Types: Therapeutics, Research Tool

Research Areas: Infectious Disease

Keywords: Assay, Drug Screening, Neonatology/Pediatric

For More Information Contact:  Meyer, Abbie

 

Invention Description:

Antibiotic resistant microbes have become a worldwide problem, with an estimated 48,000 deaths attributed to resistant microbes in the U.S. and Europe alone. The constant threat of the development of resistance has led to more conservative prescribing practices, sometimes leaving patients untreated and allowing further spread of potentially deadly diseases. This, along with the slow discovery and development of new classes of antibiotics, has created a healthcare problem and need new antibiotics.

Paula Watnick and her group at Boston Children’s Hospital have discovered a novel small-molecule antibiotic with activity against commonly drug-resistant species. The search began by screening a natural products library of 49,000 Costa Rican microbial extracts in an assay they developed to assess inhibition of the phosphoenolpyruvate transfer system (PTS). Of 49 potential hits, a single lead was identified to be a true inhibitor of the PTS. This lead crude extract was fractionated and subjected to column purification, with three small molecules purified from the extract. The single purified small-molecule species was found to be bactericidal; this compound was found to be active against MRSA, V. cholerae, and M. tuberculosis. The novel antibiotic, which they named Mirandamycin, has the potential to become a novel front-line therapy in the fight against resistance.

Applications:

• For use as an antibiotic, particularly to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Competitive Advantages:

• Novel class of antibiotic.
• Next-line therapy to treat refractory infections.

Business Opportunity:

Exclusive License or Non-exclusive License

Key Publications: Ymele-Leki P, Cao S, Sharp J, et al. A high-throughput screen identifies a new natural product with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e31307.

Related Publications: Patent US 9,359,275 B2

IPStatus: Patented