Natural product inspired antibiotics approved for human use - 1943 to 2025

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry
• Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery and Development

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance necessitates continuous discovery of novel antimicrobial agents.
• Natural products (NPs) and their derivatives (NP-Ds) have historically been a rich source of antibiotics.
• A comprehensive overview of approved NP-inspired antibiotics is crucial for understanding trends and future potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive account of all 217 natural product-inspired antibiotics approved for human use from 1943 to September 2025.
• To categorize these antibiotics based on structural motifs and mechanisms of action.
• To analyze market details, historical trends, and the future prospects of NP-inspired antibiotics.

Main Methods:

• Literature review covering publications up to September 2025.
• Classification of 217 approved antibiotics into natural products (NPs) and natural product derivatives (NP-Ds).
• Organization into sixteen categories based on structural motifs and mechanisms of action, including market data and structural annotations.

Main Results:

• A total of 217 NP-inspired antibiotics were approved, comprising 52 NPs (24%) and 165 NP-Ds (76%).
• Antibiotics were categorized by structural motifs and mechanisms, with detailed market information provided.
• Analysis revealed significant trends in the history and impact of NP-inspired antibiotics.

Conclusions:

• Natural products and their derivatives remain a vital source for antibiotic development.
• Understanding historical trends is key to guiding future antibiotic discovery efforts.
• NPs continue to inspire the development of new generations of life-saving antibiotics.