Scientific publication highlights the potential of GmPcides for treating S. pyogenes infections
August, 2024
QureTech Bio is happy to report that the scientific publication titled “Dihydrothiazolo ring-fused 2-pyridone antimicrobial compounds treat Streptococcus pyogenes skin and soft tissue infection” was published in Science Advances. Two of the authors, Almqvist and Hultgren, are co-founders of QureTech Bio. The publication provides data showing the potential of GmPcides for treatment of Streptococcus pyogenes infections.
The study, that was recently published in the prestigious scientific journal Science Advances, shows that the compound PS757 can kill Staphylococcus pyogenes bacteria that are very difficult to treat with existing antibiotics and cause serious hospital-acquired infections around the world. PS757, could be the first of an entirely new class of antibiotics against hard-to-fight bacteria. The new class of compounds, termed GmPcides, targets a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria including enterococci, staphylococci, streptococci and C. difficile, which are all causing life-threatening infections.
The study in Science Advances focused on S. pyogenes, which is responsible for 500,000 deaths every year globally, and showed that PS757 could improve the outcome of mice in a skin and soft tissue infection model by reducing bacterial burden and reduce the level of tissue damage. The compound also appeared to reduce the virulence of the bacteria and accelerate the rate of wound healing.
The origin of the discovery of GmPcides is based on a collaboration between Fredrik Almqvist, professor in organic chemistry at Umeå University, Scott Hultgren and Michael Caparon, professors at Washington University in St Louis. Almqvist and Hultgren are co-founders of QureTech Bio and are active members of the board, and Caperon has been a shareholder in the company since 2017. QureTech Bio will continue the development of PS757 and other GmPcides and potentially bring them to market.
“We have a great need for new antibiotics that can fight resistant bacteria, especially those that cause life-threatening infections in hospitals,” says Almqvist. “Our vision is to contribute to solving the global problem of antibiotic resistance by developing innovative medicines. These results are really important and is a great energy booster in our strive towards developing a new antibiotic class. “
Read the full article here:
Dihydrothiazolo ring-fused 2-pyridone antimicrobial compounds treat Streptococcus pyogenes skin and soft tissue infection (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn7979)
Contact
Annica Rönnbäck, COO
E-post: annica.ronnback@quretech.com
Web: www.quretech.com
About
QureTech Bio AB (QTB) is a pharmaceutical development company with a focus on developing new solutions to combat disease-causing bacteria and thereby contribute with new alternatives to one of our times’ greatest threats to modern healthcare, antibiotic resistance. The company’s lead program is focused on developing a new class of antibiotics, called GmPcides, that are effective against multidrug resistant Gram-positive bacteria. QTB is located in Umeå, which is one of Sweden’s prominent life science clusters.