Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Novel anti-tuberculosis compounds

Country of Origin: Germany
Reference Number: TODE20171019001
Publication Date: 20 October 2017

Summary

A German university developed an antibiotic that kills the mycobacterium tuberculosis without destroying the macrophages, cells that belong to the immune system. This novel class of compounds has the potential to overcome the resistance problems of mycobacterium tuberculosis to other drugs. The university is offering a license and research cooperation agreement.

Description

The resurgence of tuberculosis, caused primarily by mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and the appearance of multi‐drug and extensively drug resistant Mtb strains prove the need for new drugs with alternative modes of action. The interaction between the mycobacterial thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and its substrate thioredoxin (Trx) is a promising new drug target for the treatment of tuberculosis, since Mtb lacks the common glutathione system and the mycobacterial TrxR shows a substantial difference in sequence, mechanism and structure to human TrxRs. It was shown that TrxR is essential for thiol redox homeostasis and genetic inactivation in vivo eradicates Mtb during acute and chronic mouse infections.



In order to further improve the bioactivity of promising compounds, researchers of a German university have focused on optimizing the physico-chemical properties that are important for permeability, since Mtb shows an unusual thick and impermeable cell wall.



The university offers a license and a research cooperation agreement to further develop the compounds and carry out tests. The profile addresses pharmaceutical companies.

Advantages and Innovations

This offer introduces a novel class of compounds that inhibit a novel target with the potential to overcome resistance problems of mycobacterium tuberculosis to other drugs. In addition to that the viability of infected macrophages is not affected. The compounds also show an increased bioactivity by optimized permeability through the cell wall of mycobacterium tuberculosis

Stage Of Development

Under development/lab tested

Stage Of Development Comment

The researchers are preparing the further development towards mice studies to confirm in vivo efficacy, as well as ADME(absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion)‑Tox studies.

Requested partner

The university offers a license and a research cooperation agreement. Possible research activities refer to the fact that the compounds have only been tested preclinical so far. In order to become a drug the compounds have to pass clinical studies and the approval process.

The profile addresses pharmaceutical companies that already have antibiotics in their portfolio.