Poster Presentation Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting 2019

Discovery & preclinical development of tetrapeptide ETC-670 for treating MRSA skin infections and nasal decolonization. (#249)

Brian CS Chia 1 , Joel F Leong 1 , Dhananjay N Umrani 1 , Kantharaj Ethirajulu 1 , Fui Mee Ng 1 , Stephanie Blanchard 1 , Ranjani Nellore 1 , Jeffrey Hill 1 , Deborah Chen 1
  1. Experimental Drug Development Centre, Chromos #05-01, SINGAPORE, Singapore

S. aureus is the primary pathogen responsible for skin infections. They also reside in nasal passages and can be transferred to surgical wounds by self-inoculation. Mupirocin is the first-line topical antibacterial agent used for treating skin infections and nasal decolonization. Its introduction since 1985 has led to the emergence of mupirocin-resistant S. aureus. Indeed, a survey by seven public-sector hospitals in Singapore revealed 31% of clinical isolates were mupirocin-resistant, highlighting the need for a new antibacterial agent. I shall present ETC-670, a tetrapeptide bacterial membrane disruptor currently in pre-clinical development in Singapore as a replacement for mupirocin.