Enzybiotics: Enzyme-Based Antibacterials as Therapeutics.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health crisis due to overuse and misuse.
• There is a significant lack of new antibiotic classes being developed by the pharmaceutical industry.
• Innovative therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to combat bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the progress of enzybiotics as a novel class of antibiotics.
• To highlight the potential of endolysin-derived agents against human pathogenic bacteria.
• To discuss the preclinical and clinical advancements of enzybiotics.

Main Methods:

• Enzybiotics are derived from endolysins, enzymes encoded by bacteriophages.
• These enzymes degrade the bacterial cell wall during the lytic cycle.
• Research involves (engineered) endolysins targeting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Main Results:

• Enzybiotics demonstrate a rapid and unique mode of action.
• They possess high specificity for targeting pathogens.
• Enzybiotics show a low probability of developing bacterial resistance.
• (Engineered) endolysins have proven effective in animal models.
• Mycobacteriophage-encoded endolysins inhibit mycobacteria in vitro.
• Enzybiotics are progressing through preclinical and clinical trials.

Conclusions:

• Enzybiotics represent a promising therapeutic avenue against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• Their proteinaceous nature and specific mechanism offer advantages over traditional antibiotics.
• Further (pre)clinical development is crucial for establishing enzybiotics as potent agents against human pathogens.