Anti-cancer drugs may help treat MRSA - Irish study
Researchers at the University of Galway found that certain anti-cancer drugs can help antibiotics kill MRSA superbugs. The study suggests that repurposing these drugs could combat antibiotic resistance.
Why it matters
Antibiotic resistance is a major global health threat, and repurposing existing drugs offers a faster path to new treatments.
Researchers find treatments helped penicillin-type antibiotics to kill the common hospital infection
Four common chemotherapy drugs could help traditional antibiotics treat one of the most common superbugs found in hospitals, a new study has found.
MRSA infection is caused by a type of Staphylococcal bacteria that has become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary infections.
Researchers in University of Galway investigated whether a range of anti-cancer drugs could help penicillin-type antibiotics to become effective again in the treatment of MRSA.
They found that four therapies ( 5-fluorouracil; 5-fluororidine; gemcitabine; and mitomycin C ) helped penicillin-type antibiotics to kill the infection. These drugs interfere with the bacteria’s ability to make DNA, making the bacteria more vulnerable to the antibiotics.
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