Title:The Development of Antimicrobial Peptides as New Antibacterial Drugs
Volume: 14
Issue: 8
Author(s): Giulia Roscia, Chiara Falciani, Luisa Bracci and Alessandro Pini
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial peptides, bacterial pathogens, clinical development, new antibacterials.
Abstract: The increasing frequency of multidrug-resistant bacteria and a recent slowing in the development of new antimicrobial
agents place mankind in a state of emergency with regard to the threat of new bacterial infections. Antibacterial
peptides (AMPs) are considered an important class of molecules to develop against bacteria. AMPs have been known for
many years but very few have yet been extensively used in clinical practice, mainly because of their general toxicity and
manufacturing cost. Now, thanks to new technologies for screening and development, interest in these molecules has
grown. Many new AMPs have been discovered and some are under evaluation for the development of new antibacterial
therapeutics. Here we review the major AMPs currently used in clinical practice and others in the phase of preclinical and
clinical development.
