Overcoming scientific and structural bottlenecks in antibacterial discovery and development

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pharmacology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a critical global health issue, exacerbated by a dwindling pipeline of novel antibacterial agents.
• Pharmaceutical industry investment in antibacterial research has declined, leading to a loss of expertise and innovation capacity.
• Academic antibiotic discovery efforts are hampered by misaligned incentives and a lack of essential drug discovery knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the scientific and structural barriers hindering the discovery and development of new antibiotics.
• To identify potential solutions and strategies to overcome these challenges and foster antibiotic innovation.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative research approach combining in-depth interviews with researchers.
• Complementary literature review to contextualize findings within existing scientific knowledge.
• Analysis of scientific and structural impediments in antibiotic drug development.

Main Results:

• Identified significant scientific hurdles, including the challenges of targeting bacteria within a host environment.
• Highlighted structural barriers within academic and industrial research ecosystems that impede progress.
• Revealed a shift towards 'rational' drug design and high-throughput screening may be ill-suited for antibacterial development.

Conclusions:

• The discovery of new antibiotics requires addressing complex scientific and structural challenges.
• A re-evaluation of current drug development paradigms and incentive structures is necessary.
• Potential solutions are offered to reinvigorate the field of antibacterial discovery and combat antibiotic resistance.