Novel Antibiotics

Preclinical Development

DZIF scientists have already brought several new agents into preclinical development. Examples are corallopyronin A for worm infections and aminochelocardins for urinary tract infection.

The path starting from the discovery of a potential active agent to the development of an effective drug is long. Efficacy and safety must be confirmed through numerous preclinical and clinical trials. DZIF scientists are already working on a number of projects involving novel agent candidates that are either already undergoing or about to undergo preclinical testing. Examples of such candidates are corallopyronin A for worm infections and amidochelocardins for urinary tract infections.

From petri dish to the living organism

The DZIF is collaborating with industrial partners in order to develop the natural substance corallopyronin A. Its efficacy against the filarial worm group was confirmed in as early as 2009. If left untreated, infections from these worms lead to elephantiasis, a condition in which different parts of the body undergo extreme swelling and result in considerable strain. Following successful efficacy testing, the substance is now undergoing preclinical testing in animal models. Alongside this, new manufacturing and purification protocols are being devised and the substance yield in the production process is being further optimised.

Bonn - Köln

Translational Microbiology

Prof. Marc Hübner aims to identify new drug candidates against parasitic threadworms, so-called filariae, and developing them further for human use. To this end, new in vitro and in vivo models are being developed and identified candidates are being tested in clinical trials in humans. With oxfendazole and corallopyronin A [...]

Bonn - Köln

Preclinical and clinical development

Dr. Ute Klarmann-Schulz’s research group’s objective is to support the transition of new anti-infective agent candidates from preclinical into clinical phases of development, and to ensure that the first clinical trials run as smoothly as possible. In the field of preclinical development, the junior research group is involved in advancing [...]

Bonn - Köln | Hannover - Braunschweig

Corallopyronin - A development through to phase I trial

More than 21 million people in Africa are infected with the threadworm Onchocerca volvulus, the pathogen causing river blindness. About one in ten of those affected goes blind. What is needed are active agents that kill the long-lived adult worms. With Corallopyronin A, DZIF scientists have found an active [...]

Hannover - Braunschweig