Aganocides Battle MRSA Infections

A new class of antimicrobial compounds, which chemically imitate a naturally occurring bacteria-fighting agent, could help vanquish methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

The new class of compounds (known as aganocides) mimic N-chlorotaurine (NCT), a compound naturally produced in white blood cells (WBCs). However, by altering NCT's chemical structure, aganocides are rendered more stable than the natural compound, making them more suitable as a drug therapy. Early clinical results have shown that unlike antibiotics, which usually treat only narrow groups of bacteria, aganocides can kill all pathogenic microbes, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, fungi, yeast, and spores, as well as biofilms that are implicated in more than 80% of microbial infections.

The aganocide compounds are designed to attack and kill the bacteria directly by destroying cell walls, proteins, and nucleic acids, based on phagocytosis, a method used by immune cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. Importantly, pathogens do not develop resistance to aganocides. The aganocide compounds, which are nontoxic, are being developed by NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (Emeryville, CA, USA). Drug candidates are currently being investigated under an internal development program against infections of the eye, urinary tract, and lungs. NovaBay is also seeking to out-license other aganocide compounds, for which it has demonstrated proof-of-concept.

"Another promising market for aganocides is de-colonization of MRSA bacteria in the noses of hospital patients,” said Ron Najafi, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Novabay. "About 30% of humans have MRSA colonization in their nostrils without showing symptoms. One aganocide preparation, AgaNase, quickly eradicates nasal colonization and could thus save thousands of lives per year by eliminating the reservoir of MRSA infection.”

NCT, also known as taurine chloramine or taurochloramine, is the main representative of long-lived oxidants found in the supernatant of stimulated granulocytes, and works by inhibiting both inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and IkappaB kinase.

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