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IIT Roorkee – In a major breakthrough in the global battle against antibiotic resistance, researchers at IIT Roorkee have developed a novel drug candidate, Compound 3b, capable of restoring the effectiveness of Meropenem, a critical antibiotic, against drug-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae—a World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen.
The research team, led by Prof. Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, in collaboration with Norwegian scientists from UiT Tromsø, has discovered a β-lactamase inhibitor that effectively disables bacterial resistance mechanisms, significantly improving treatment outcomes in preclinical models, including lung infection reduction in animals.
"Our compound neutralizes the resistance mechanism and shows strong therapeutic results," said Prof. Pathania. The molecule is safe for human cells, highly specific, and works synergistically with Meropenem.
Prof. K. K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, remarked, “This innovation reflects IIT Roorkee's commitment to tackling global health challenges through impactful scientific solutions.”
The study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, is poised to contribute substantially to future drug development efforts aimed at combating superbugs and underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research in public health innovation.
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