Dutch company Micreos launches first non-antibiotic treatment for MRSA, Staphefekt

Dutch company Micreos has launched the first bacteria-killing enzyme specific to Staphylococcus aureus, which kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Endolysin Staphefekt was the first such treatment available for human use on intact skin that had multiple benefits as compared to antibiotics.

The enzyme lyses the target bacteria rapidly even as it left beneficial bacteria unharmed.

According to commentators, the question of resistance as with antibiotics was not likely as Staphefekt worked independently of the bacterial metabolism, targeting a region of the bacterial cell wall less susceptible to mutation.

Speaking at Antibiotics alternatives for the new millennium in London, Dr Bjorn Herpers, clinical microbiologist, MD, PhD at Public Health Lab, Kennemerland, said, ''The results are exciting, and demonstrate the potential this technology has to revolutionise the way we treat certain bacterial infections. With the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, new strategies for the treatment of bacterial infections are needed.

''As well as being less prone to resistance induction than antibiotics, endolysins destroy only their target bacterial species, leaving the beneficial bacteria alone.''

''With the introduction of Staphefekt, we enter a new era in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria, targeting only the unwanted bacteria. This is a far more logical and elegant approach. Millions of people stand to benefit. That's very exciting and gratifying.''

Staphefekt is the first endolysin available for human use on intact skin, Micreos said in a statement. Endolysins are enzymes derived from bacteriophages (phages), microorganisms that kill only bacteria. In nature, phages use bacteria to replicate, and in the process they destroy the bacterial cell wall with endolysins.

The working mechanism of endolysins was not related to that of antibiotics, meaning even bacteria resistant to antibiotics were susceptible.

Staphefekt exhibited several other characteristics - rapid killing (lysis) of the target bacteria and limited likelihood of emerging resistance, as it worked independently of the bacterial metabolism - which harboured the resistance mechanisms - and targeted a region of the bacterial cell wall less susceptible to mutation. Another feature was that its action was specific to S aureus and did  not affect beneficial bacteria.

According to Dr Herpers the results demonstrated the potential the technology to revolutionise the way certain bacterial infections were treated.

With the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, new strategies for the treatment of bacterial infections were needed.

Further due to being less prone to resistance induction than antibiotics, endolysins destroyed only their target bacterial species, leaving the beneficial bacteria alone.