New medication effective in fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Scientists in Shanghai have announced the success of a special method to deliver medication into bacteria cells, to achieve effective and targeted killing of antibiotic bacteria.

The therapy has been used on bacterial coronitis and other refractory eye infections with significant effects, experts said on Friday.

According to experts, antibiotic resistance is a serious medical issue, and there has been no new or effective biotics for some multi-drug resistant bacteria. Drug-resistant coronitis is one of the tough issues, as there is no effective medication, according to experts from the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, which teamed up with Suzhou University to engage the research.

"Innovative genetic treatment tools, are new solutions to solve these problems. Problems which can't be solved using traditional antibiotics," said Dr Hong Jiaxu from the EENT hospital and lead researcher.

He said Antisense Oligonucleotide, a new class of drugs with short single-stranded RNA molecules, is considered a promising candidate for genetic treatment for antibiotic bacteria. "But the drug delivery and a low effect of ASO makes it unable to meet the clinical demand. Our research helps solve the problem."

Experts used a Trojan Horse-strategy in their research, as they combined ASO with an energy substance to make a nano-particle medicine. When bacteria extracts the energy substance, they also open the door for ASO.

The trial targeting multi-drug resistant E.coli and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) confirmed that the medicine's effect is over three times that of traditional drugs. The medication achieves a 100 percent kill-rate of antibiotic bacteria.

The treatment strategy used on bacterial coronitis and endophthalmitis also reported very good results.

The achievement is published by world-leading journal Advanced Materials.