Using a Novel Mechanism to Treat MRSA Infections and Tuberculosis

SLU ID 19-015 | N,N-disubstituted 2-aminobenzothiazoles as antibacterial compounds

Background

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a group of bacteria. They are genetically distinct from other strains of Staphylococcus aureus and responsible for several types of infections that are difficult to treat in humans. Although MRSA began as a hospital-acquired infection, it has become both community-acquired and livestock-acquired. The rates of MRSA are higher in the United States than most other developed countries. Each year, there are more than 90,000 life-threatening MRSA infections in the U.S., which resulted in about 20,000 deaths.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the primary causative agent of tuberculosis. Experts estimate that roughly 25 percent of the world's population is infected with tuberculosis. An estimated 1 percent of the global population becomes infected each year. In 2017, there more than 10 million cases of active tuberculosis globally, which resulted in roughly 1.6 million deaths. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem with treating tuberculosis.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have identified a series of N,N-disubstituted 2-aminobenzothiazoles that show good activity again methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and mycobacterium tuberculosis. The compounds appear to work by a novel mechanism.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Increasing the efficacy of treatments for MRSA bacterial infections

• Minimizing deaths caused by MRSA bacterial infections

• Minimizing the costs of treating MRSA bacterial infections

• Increasing the efficacy of treatments for tuberculosis

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include:

• Developing antibacterials to treat MRSA infections.

• Developing antibacterials to treat tuberculosis.

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking partners to further develop and commercialize this technology.