ASOBIOTICS 2024: an interdisciplinary symposium on antisense-based programmable RNA antibiotics.
Jörg Vogel1,2, Franziska Faber3,4, Lars Barquist3,5
1Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany joerg.vogel@uni-wuerzburg.de.
RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|January 15, 2025
Summary
Scientists convened at ASOBIOTICS 2024 to advance antibacterial antisense oligomers (ASOs) into clinical use. The proposed term "asobiotics" aims to unify research on these programmable RNA antibiotics for combating antimicrobial resistance.
Area of Science:
- RNA Therapeutics
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Antisense oligomers (ASOs) show promise as antimicrobials.
- Advancing ASOs from research to clinical application faces challenges.
- The symposium ASOBIOTICS 2024 addressed these hurdles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss challenges and milestones in developing antibacterial ASOs.
- To explore applications of ASOs against various bacterial targets.
- To propose a unified nomenclature for antibacterial ASOs.
Main Methods:
- Presentations on ASO design principles (PNA, PMO chemistry).
- Discussion of RNA targets, delivery technologies, and resistance mechanisms.
- A panel discussion on nomenclature and community building.
Main Results:
- Key milestones and current challenges in ASO development were presented.
- Various ASO chemistries, targets, and delivery systems were explored.
- The term "asobiotics" was proposed to unify the field.
Conclusions:
- A unified name like "asobiotics" can simplify literature searches and funding.
- ASOs represent a potential new class of programmable RNA antibiotics.
- Standardized nomenclature will aid in combating antimicrobial resistance and microbiome editing.
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