The primary objective of the NOVA ERC Proof of Concept project was to determine the technical and commercial feasibility of a novel class of next generation polymyxin antibiotics. With widespread antibiotic resistance increasing rapidly and the rate of antibiotics development being alarmingly low, we are running out of effective antibiotics. One of the most urgent instances of this growing problem is the renewed interest in polymyxins as last-resort antibiotics, despite serious toxicities. Polymyxins are used for the treatment of infections caused by multi-drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens. However, a range of acute toxicities are linked to polymyxin treatment. Most problematic is the dose-limiting nephrotoxicity, requiring a careful balance between the dose required for efficacy while minimizing toxicity. However, in response to growing resistance to other classes of antibiotics, the use of polymyxins is increasing worldwide. In fact, over the past decade, the global use of polymyxins has doubled, placing them among the top five antibiotics prescribed in hospital settings. The increasingly frequent use of polymyxin antibiotics, despite their serious side effects, results in unnecessary pressure on healthcare systems and underscores the urgent need for safe alternatives. In the ERC PoC project NOVA we therefore set our to demonstrate the improved safety profile and potent antibacterial activity of a novel class of next generation polymyxin antibiotics recently discovered by our group in the context of the recently completed ERC CoG project NO-ESKAPE (#725523).
