New perspectives into antibiotic treatment

The urgent need for effective antibiotics has stimulated the rapid development of several novel compounds through combinatorial chemistry methods, with the aim of advancing candidates with either broad or narrow spectrums of activity while always considering acceptable risk/benefit ratio.

Today’s healthcare systems are overwhelmed by costs associated with the limitations of currently available antimicrobial treatments, and particularly, with serious conditions that may manifest years after cessation of therapy.

Until recently, the complex interplay between gut microbiota and its host was not well understood. Alterations to the gut microbiome caused by antibiotic use are associated with the development of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, as well as complications arising from these ailments.

While the aforementioned conditions are certainly concerning, Clostridium difficile infection is an increasingly common consequence of antibiotic therapy. C. difficile replaces the normal gut flora that is eliminated by antimicrobial agents, and its proliferation can trigger diseases such as pseudomembranous colitis, a leading cause of hospitalization.

Join Pharma Business Review on the 18th November to discuss how antibiotics can address common medical needs and concerns that to date were thought to be acceptable. The evening will focus on the development of more tolerable antibiotics, in terms of their compatibility with the human gut microbiome, and their potential impact on metabolic processes and the immune system.