New antibiotic beats superbugs at their own game

Strains of bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin grow easily in its presence (top), but are completely eliminated (bottom) when exposed to Ceftobiprole. The problem with antibiotics is that, eventually, bacteria outsmart them and become resistant. But by targeting the gene that confers such resistance, a new drug may be able to finally outwit them. Rockefeller University scientists tested the new drug, called Ceftobiprole, against some of the deadliest strains of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, which are responsible for the great majority of staphylococcal infections worldwide, both in hospitals and in the community.

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