In a major advance against antibiotic resistance, researchers at IIT Roorkee have developed a novel drug candidate, Compound 3b, capable of restoring the effectiveness of the antibiotic Meropenem against deadly drug-resistant bacteria.
The team, led by Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, along with Mangal Singh and Perwez Bakht, collaborated with Norwegian scientist Annette Bayer and her team at UiT Tromso. Their research targets KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, a WHO-listed priority pathogen.
“This breakthrough provides a promising solution to antimicrobial resistance, one of the most pressing global health threats. Our compound neutralises the resistance mechanism and has shown strong therapeutic results in preclinical models,” said Pathania.
Compound 3b belongs to the class of β-lactamase inhibitors, which block bacterial enzymes from destroying life-saving antibiotics. It is highly specific, safe for human cells, and works in synergy with Meropenem to eliminate resistant bacteria.
Laboratory and animal model studies demonstrated that the compound significantly reduced bacterial lung infections, marking a potential milestone in treating superbug-related illnesses.