Gram Negative Antibiotic, Vaccine
BYU researchers and colleagues have discovered and synthesized a family of glycolypids that regulate NKT cells, key to the body’s natural immune system function. These cationic steroid antibiotics (CSAs) destroy microbes’ outer membranes, killing them outright and making them susceptible to fast-acting medications without mutating to resistant strains. Results have been peer reviewed and reported publicly. Repeatable clinical studies show them effective against known viruses as well as a broad range of antibiotic-resistant infectious disease bacteria, fungus, viruses and possibly auto-immune conditions. CSAs are easily produced at low cost for internal and external control of microbes and as food preservatives.
General Information
Mankind’s natural immune system was sufficient for the species to survive, albeit with a life expectancy about half that of today’s developed countries. Penicillin, streptomycin, and more than 150 other drugs have been developed to sustain and improve humankind’s resilience. However, microbes [bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses] have adapted and mutated to survive. When microbes do adapt, the genes for resistance are replicated and passed on to related organisms through conjugation, whereby plasmids carrying the genes jump from one organism to another. When anti-microbials are misused [discontinued prematurely, low dose, low potency or for wrong disease], as they commonly are, the likelihood that bacteria will adapt and replicate rather than be killed is much greater (particularly given global concerns such as overcrowding, poor sanitation, sexual promiscuity, pollution, and increased travel and trade).
Because of prohibitive costs and the slowing discovery of potent new antimicrobials, the post-antibiotic era is before us. Current trends suggest that some diseases will have no effective therapies within the next ten years. In U.S. hospitals nearly 2 million
patients each year contract an infection, causing some 88,000 deaths. Over 70% of the bacteria that cause these infections are resistant to at least one of the preferred drugs used to control it. Furthermore, some 60% of deaths among burn victims are due to uncontrolled bacterial infections.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, respiratory infections [about 5 million deaths/year worldwide, about 65,000 deaths/year in U.S. from flu and pneumonia]; HIV/AIDS [15,000 deaths/year U.S., 3 million worldwide]; diarrheal diseases [over 2 million deaths/year]; tuberculosis [2 million deaths/year]; meningitis [over 200,000 deaths/ year]; and malaria [2.7 million deaths per year] are the leading killers among infectious diseases, especially in less-developed countries. Microbial resistance to antimicrobial medicines is most evident in these same diseases.
The Market
Because of CSA’s low cost and multi-functionality, the application of CSAs can be employed in numerous markets.
First, because CSAs have antibiotic, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties, they can be used as a preservative or sterillant in materials susceptible to microbial or viral contamination. In other words, the CSA can be used as broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents in various specific applications. For example, the compound could be used as a preservative in processed foods in conjunction with food additives such as lysozymes to combat Salnzonella, Yersinia, and Shigella. As another example, the compound could be used as a topical agent to kill odor producing microbes (Micrococci).
Second, and perhaps more readily applicable, the compound can be used either as the treatment, or in conjunction with antibiotics to treat microbial infections. With some microbes, the compound itself may provide the anti-microbial effect (when administration amount is sufficient).When not the antimicrobial agent itself, the compound can be combined in the antimicrobial composition to facilitate delivery to the target cells.
The Product
CSAs, in a manner similar to antimicrobial peptides, selectively target microbial cell walls and rapidly kill bacteria and viruses.
Patent Information
Composition of matter patents have been licensed by Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals. Ceragenins are in preclinical animal trials in models of different diseases (for example, eradication of bacteria from burn wounds and treatment of persistent vaccinia virus (the virus used in small pox vaccines) infections).
This invention is patented in the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
The Inventor
Paul B. Savage, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University
Licensing Information
Composition of matter patents have been licensed by Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals. CSAs are in preclinical animal trials in models of different diseases (for example, eradication of bacteria from burn wounds and treatment of persistent vaccinia virus (the virus used in
small pox vaccines) infections).