Interestingly, the article Perth research at forefront of world...

Interestingly, the article Perth research at forefront of world antibiotic crisis by Kerry Faulkner, appears to support the proposition that the collaboration is seeking to enhance the action of existing antibiotics.

"Phylogica recently partnered with Genentech to develop technology to combat drug resistance," said Faulkner.

The statement does not indicate the quest for a new class of antibiotics but rather the development of technology to combat drug resistance. At face value, the issue of combating drug resistance would refer to the growing global problem of bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics.

If the collaboration with Genentech does centre upon developing technology to combat drug resistance then the claim by Dr Tatjana Heinrich of research that suggest antimicrobial peptides can rejuvenate traditional antibiotics, takes on added significance.

But the development of what technology is under the microscope? We already know that Heinrich has been employed in determining the application of Phylogica's intracellular trap technology for the discovery of novel antimicrobial peptides which would penetrate the outer membrane of multi-resistant gram negative bacteria. Refer back to the following statement in Hottod's post;

"One of the reasons for the emergence of antibiotic resistance is believed to be the poor permeability of bacterial cell envelope to antimicrobial agents."

If Phylogica through its intracellular trap technology can overcome the inherent problem of poor permeability of traditional antibiotics then it could lead to the rejuvenation of the current classes of antibiotics.