IIT Roorkee researchers discover new antibacterial molecule 'IITR00693'

NEW DELHI: The researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) have discovered a discovered a new antibacterial small molecule, IITR00693 that has the potential to fight against drug-resistant infections.

The research team was led by IIT Roorkee, department of bioscience and bioengineering, professor, Ranjana Pathania along with Mahak Saini and Amit Gaurav; AIIMS Rishikesh, Ashish Kothari and Balram Ji Omar; Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, Varsha Gupta and Assam University, Amitabha Bhattacharjee.

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The findings of the research study were published in American Chemical Society Journal – ACS Infectious Diseases. The molecule was discovered after a rigorous screening process and has shown potent antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including some of the most problematic drug-resistant strains.

The molecule, IITR00693 not only strikes down the most stubborn bacteria but also prevents the emergence of resistance, ensuring that it remains effective for generations to come. This study could open new research avenues on treatment options for soft and skin tissue infections.

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Talking about the discovery, IIT Roorkee, department of biosciences and bioengineering, Ranjana Pathania, said: "We aimed to identify a small molecule that can potentiate currently used antibiotics. IITR00693, a novel antibacterial small molecule, potentiates the antibacterial activity of polymyxin B against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Herein, we investigated in detail the mode of action of this interaction and the molecule’s capability to combat soft-tissue infections caused by S. aureus and P.aeruginosa."

Speaking about the study results, IIT Roorkee, department of biosciences and bioengineering, Mahak Saini, who is among the research paper’s authors, said:"The results indicate that IITR00693 has the highest safety index and efficacy. The synergy between IITR00693 and polymyxin B against Gram-positive S. aureus was intriguing, as polymyxin B is specifically active against Gram-negative bacteria; hence we selected this combination for further detailed investigations."