Mice trials indicated that D22 injections were more effective than oral administration, significantly reducing P. aeruginosa growth, although they did not completely clear the infection.

This research was published during the World Health Organization's World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, highlighting the urgency of developing new antibacterial therapies.

Researchers have identified a modified darobactin, known as D22, as a promising new antibacterial treatment effective against drug-resistant bacteria, particularly E. coli.

In recent animal trials, D22 was shown to effectively clear A. baumannii infections in zebrafish embryos, performing comparably to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin.

The study received funding from the Helmholtz Impuls- und Vernetzungsfonds, and some authors are affiliated with Evotec, a drug discovery and development company.

Earlier in 2024, the WHO updated its list of concerning bacterial pathogens to include Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli, underscoring the need for new treatments.

In a severe peritonitis model, D22 cleared E. coli infections after four doses within 25 hours, demonstrating its potential for treating critical infections.

Darobactin, the basis for D22, is a naturally occurring antibiotic that binds to essential proteins in bacterial cells, leading to their death.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has created an urgent need for new treatments, as many current antibiotics are becoming less effective.

Previous studies led by researchers Rolf Müller and Jennifer Herrmann demonstrated that engineered darobactins, specifically D22, possess antibacterial activity against A. baumannii in laboratory tests.

The findings suggest that D22 has strong potential as a new treatment against critical infections and could lead to future clinical trials to combat antimicrobial resistance.