The conference “Patents, a key tool for research in the healthcare environment” was successfully held yesterday
October 18, 2019
Feel pain without relief
October 21, 2019
Half of the world's population suffers from gastric infections caused by the bacteria. Helicobacter pylori, which constitutes a risk factor for gastric cancer. In addition, it has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the pathogens most resistant to antibiotics. It is urgent to find new antibacterial compounds and the BIFI of the University of Zaragoza is leading international research to confront this bacteria.
Currently, antimicrobial resistance in general is responsible for 33.000 deaths annually in the European Union, costing €1,5 trillion in healthcare and lost productivity. The bacteria Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is one of those pathogens that is registering a significant increase in antibiotic-resistant strains. This, together with the fact that half of the world's population suffers from gastric infections caused by Hp, which are a risk factor for gastric cancer, has led the WHO to classify as a priority finding new antibacterial compounds capable of dealing with it.
The Flavodoxin Inhibitors to Kill Resistant Bacteria (Flav4amr) project, endowed with 1,1 million euros, is framed in this context. A Spanish-French-German collaboration brings together the experience and resources necessary to produce new antimicrobial compounds ready to enter clinical trials. A protein called flavodoxin is in the spotlight.
Javier Sancho, professor of Biochemistry and researcher at the Institute of Biocomputing and Complex Systems (BIFI), leads this project focused on the role of flavodoxin. This essential protein Helicobacter pylori It was identified by his team as a new drug target. If confirmed, it could be used for the development of new antimicrobial compounds that become new antibiotics on the market.
"The final objective of our project is to develop new flavodoxin inhibitors with antimicrobial activity, to Hp and other pathogens that show significant resistance problems, and that can reach the market within a reasonable period of time," Sancho highlighted during the first meeting of the work team, held recently at the Río Ebro Campus.
