GC-072: A Novel Therapeutic Candidate for Oral Treatment of Melioidosis and Infections Caused by Select Biothreat Pathogens.

GC-072: A Novel Therapeutic Candidate for Oral Treatment of Melioidosis and Infections Caused by Select Biothreat Pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019 Sep 23;: Authors: Shearer JD, Saylor ML, Butler CM, Treston AM, Heine HS, Chirakul S, Schweizer HP, Louie A, Drusano GL, Zumbrun SD, Warfield KL Abstract Burkholderia pseudomallei (B. pseudomallei), the etiological agent of melioidosis, is a Gram-negative bacterium with additional concern as a biothreat pathogen. The mortality rate from B. pseudomallei varies depending on the type of infection and extent of available health care, but in the case of septicemia left untreated it can range from 50 - 90%. Current therapy for melioidosis is biphasic, consisting of parenteral acute-phase treatment for two weeks or longer, followed by oral eradication-phase treatment lasting several months. An effective oral therapeutic for outpatient treatment of acute-phase melioidosis is needed. GC-072 is a potent, 4-oxoquinolizine antibiotic with selective inhibitory activity against bacterial topoisomerases. GC-072 has demonstrated in vitro potency against susceptible and drug-resistant strains of B. pseudomallei and is also active against Burkholderia mallei, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Francisella tularensis GC-072 is bactericidal both extra- and intracellularly, with rapid killing noted within a few hours and reduced development of resistance compared to ceftazidime. GC-072, deliv...
Source: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Source Type: research