Bacterial antibiotic resistance

The bacterial resistance to antibiotics remains a major unmet medical need. Indeed, antibiotic resistant infections account for 9% of the hospital-acquired infections in the EU (4.5 millions/year), but they are responsible of 68% of the deaths due to these hospital-acquired infections (37 000/year) [ECDC 2008, ECDC/EMEA 2009].

This situation has become very concerning because of the increase of infections involving antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. Since these infections are particularly hard to cure, clinicians have a very strong need for novel antibiotic classes affording the efficient treatment of the bacterial resistance.