New Antibiotic Priscilicidin Created by RMIT Scientists Can Outsmart Superbugs

In a groundbreaking development, scientists from RMIT's School of Health and Biosciences have created a new type of antibiotic that has the potential to revolutionize the fight against dangerous superbugs.

Dubbed Priscilicidin, the new drug developed by Ph.D. candidate Priscila Cardoso and principal supervisor Dr. Céline Valéry from RMIT has a simple design that allows for quick and cost-effective production in a lab.

Solution to Microbial Resistance

The World Health Organization has deemed antibiotic resistance as one of the biggest global public health threats facing humanity, making the creation of new antibiotics a critical priority.

Why is this regarded as a big issue? When first-line antibiotics are unable to treat infections, more expensive medications must be used. This causes more illness and treatment duration in hospitals, raising healthcare costs and putting additional financial strain on families.

Priscilicidin has been developed as a response to this urgent need. The drug is a type of antimicrobial peptide, a naturally occurring defense mechanism produced by all living organisms against bacteria and viruses.

What is Priscilicidin?

Phys.org reports that the team of scientists from RMIT designed and tested 20 short peptides after reviewing the literature on antimicrobial peptide molecular engineering. Priscilicidin was chosen as the top candidate.

Because Priscilicidin is derived from a naturally occurring antibiotic peptide, it is less likely than regular antibiotics to cause bacteria to stop responding to them.

This brand-new medicine has a small molecular structure that combines the properties of small molecules with those of natural antibiotics, making it quick, affordable, and less likely to degrade quickly in the body.

How It Works

Indolicidin, a natural antibiotic found in cow immune systems, was used to create Priscilicidin. According to one study, the mature peptide is only 13 amino acids long, making it one of the smallest antimicrobial peptides known to be encoded as the primary product of the antimicrobial peptide gene that encodes it.

Besides that, the research team discovered that the drug was extremely effective against resistant microbial strains such as golden staph, E. coli bacteria, and candida fungi. Priscilicidin works by disrupting the membranes of microbes, eventually killing them.

The study also discovered that the molecules of Priscilicidin naturally self-assemble into hydrogels, making them ideal for the development of antibiotic gels and creams. This natural hydrogel form avoids some of the formulation processes required for new drugs, allowing for the development of a diverse range of antimicrobial resistance treatments.

While the team is currently focusing on topical applications of Priscilicidin, Phys.org reports that they are not ruling out oral applications. The RMIT team has come up with a way to take protein and peptide drugs by mouth, and Priscilicidin may be used as a test subject.

Priscilicidin is a promising new treatment for superbugs and antimicrobial resistance. Its straightforward design, natural origin, and versatility make it an appealing candidate for future use. The team's ongoing research will most likely help us learn more about this exciting new drug and how it may affect public health.

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