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Genomics promised to revitalize the search for new antibiotics but still no new drug class against a novel target has materialized. Payne and colleagues describe the frustrations of their genomics efforts at GlaxoSmithKline and how this changed their approach to antibacterial R&D.
The debate about whether truly novel, tractable targets exist for antibacterial drug discovery continues. Meanwhile, as Lynn Silver discusses, efforts are focused on learning from the 'good old targets' to improve current antibiotic classes and develop antibacterial strategies for the future.
An attractive strategy to render drug-resistant bacteria susceptible to antibiotics is to inhibit the bacterial efflux pump. Lomovskaya and colleagues review the available structural data on the most effective class of bacterial efflux pumps and discuss current development of small-molecule efflux inhibitors.
The potential for using the lungs as a gateway for delivering drugs to the systemic circulation is attracting increasing attention. Here, Patton and Byron review current issues in the formulation and systemic delivery of small molecules and macromolecules as inhaled therapeutics.
Clinical use of biologic therapies for rheumatology has revealed that efficacy, toxicity and pharmacodynamic effects can deviate from those predicted. In this review, Issacs and colleagues summarize lessons gleaned from practical experience and discuss how these can inform future development of new biologic therapies.
