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This approach could prevent resistance far into the future. Can an expert weigh in if it is likely to be practical for wide adoption soon? Combating multidrug-

This approach could prevent resistance far into the future. Can an expert weigh in if it is likely to be practical for wide adoption soon? Combating multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria with structurally nanoengineered antimicrobial peptide polymers https://www.nature.com/articles/nmicrobiol2016162 https://www.nature.com/articles/nmicrobiol2016162 An article for non-expert: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/does-this-25-year-old-hold-the-key-to-winning-the-war-against-th/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/does-this-25-... "Lam successfully tested the polymer treatment on six different superbugs in the laboratory, and against one strain of bacteria in mice. Even after multiple generations of mutations, the superbugs have proven incapable of fighting back. “We found the polymers to be really good at wiping out bacterial infections,” she says. “They are actually effective in treating mice infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At the same time, they are quite non-toxic to the healthy cells in the body.”" "Professor Greg Qiao, her PhD supervisor, says that Lam’s project is one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs he had seen in his 20 years at Melbourne university."

tradersam 9y ago
> "quite non-toxic" Well, that doesn't really have a lot of confidence behind it.
- BurningFrog 9y ago
  I'd say it has quite a lot of confidence.
xherberta 9y ago
> Even after multiple generations of mutations, Bacteria can do thousands or millions of generations more rapidly than we can tweak our nanotech.
- nopinsight 9y ago
  From my understanding, certain things are almost impossible to mutate against. No bacteria have evolved resistance against alcohol.
  - thatcat 9y ago
    Some bacteria actually use dilute concentrations of ethanol as a substrate - acetobacter converts EtOH to acetate (vinegar). It's the concentration of 72% EtOH 28% h2o that bacteria can not protect against.
    - jaggederest 9y ago
      Also, more importantly, certain environmental toxins force maladaptation to the human body as a growth medium. That is, anything that can live in a 40+% alcohol environment is also not going to find the human body hospitable.
jballanc 9y ago
Unfortunately I don't have the time to look into this specific approach, and I've been away from nanoparticle biology for about 5 years now, but... In almost all cases where nanoparticles have shown promise to treat various conditions, there remains one huge hurdle: how do you get them into the patient? i.e. Swallow a pill full of nanoparticles, and later that day you'll end up taking a nanoparticle-filled dump. Oral bioavailability is almost nonexistent. The only practical delivery mechanism is IV. For treating cancer, that's fine. Most advanced chemotherapy drugs already are delivered via IV. For an antibiotic, which will see greatest demand in locations with poor health facilities, i.e. with no real means of safely delivering IV drugs to large numbers of people, that's pretty much a deal breaker.

tradersam 9y ago

> "quite non-toxic" Well, that doesn't really have a lot of confidence behind it.

BurningFrog 9y ago
I'd say it has quite a lot of confidence.

xherberta 9y ago

> Even after multiple generations of mutations, Bacteria can do thousands or millions of generations more rapidly than we can tweak our nanotech.

nopinsight 9y ago
From my understanding, certain things are almost impossible to mutate against. No bacteria have evolved resistance against alcohol.
- thatcat 9y ago
  Some bacteria actually use dilute concentrations of ethanol as a substrate - acetobacter converts EtOH to acetate (vinegar). It's the concentration of 72% EtOH 28% h2o that bacteria can not protect against.
  - jaggederest 9y ago
    Also, more importantly, certain environmental toxins force maladaptation to the human body as a growth medium. That is, anything that can live in a 40+% alcohol environment is also not going to find the human body hospitable.

jballanc 9y ago

Unfortunately I don't have the time to look into this specific approach, and I've been away from nanoparticle biology for about 5 years now, but... In almost all cases where nanoparticles have shown promise to treat various conditions, there remains one huge hurdle: how do you get them into the patient? i.e. Swallow a pill full of nanoparticles, and later that day you'll end up taking a nanoparticle-filled dump. Oral bioavailability is almost nonexistent. The only practical delivery mechanism is IV. For treating cancer, that's fine. Most advanced chemotherapy drugs already are delivered via IV. For an antibiotic, which will see greatest demand in locations with poor health facilities, i.e. with no real means of safely delivering IV drugs to large numbers of people, that's pretty much a deal breaker.