Scientists have produced new drugs to beat superbugs.

Scientists have produced new drugs to beat superbugs. Scientists have produced new, effective and simplified forms of teixobactin , a new generation antibiotic which defeats multi-drug resistant infections such as MRSA as part of a pioneering research effort to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The team successfully produced a number of synthetic derivatives of the highly potent teixobactin named the'game-changer' in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.This new study which directly targets MRSA bacteria, overcomes a further barrier in the race to combat drug resistant bacteria. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many widely-used antibiotics, which means it is harder to treat than other infections. This 'superbug' mainly affects people who are staying in hospital and while they can usually be treated with certain antibiotics, concerns are growing around the world about the rate at which bacteria are developing resistance to existing drugs. It has been predicted that by 2050 an additional 10 million people will succumb to drug resistant infections each year. The development of new antibiotics which can be used as a last resort when other drugs are ineffective is therefore a crucial area of study for healthcare researchers around the world.more