Posted on June 15, 2011 by BioJobBlogger

TWiM #9: Bean sprouts and E. coli O104:H4

On episode #9 of the podcast This Week in Microbiology, Vincent, Cliff, and Michael review the outbreak of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in Germany caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Cliff Mintz, and Michael Schmidt.

Right click to download TWiM #9 (53 MB, .mp3, 76 minutes).

Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Zune Marketplace, via RSS feed, by email or listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app.

Links for this episode:

Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twim@twiv.tv , or call them in to 908-312-0760. You can also post articles that you would like us to discuss at microbeworld.org and tag them with twim.

 


 

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Posted on November 11, 2008 by BioJobBlogger

Optimer's New Carbohydrate-Based Antibiotic May Be a Winner

Optimer, a San-Diego, CA-based biopharmaceutical company, reported positive Phase III clinical trial results for OPT-80, its lead treatment for Clostridium difficile gastroenteritis. C. difficile gastroenteritis is caused by exotoxins secreted by clostridia that have colonized the colon following prolonged antibiotic treatment for other bacterial infections. If left untreated, patients can die from a pseudo-membrane that forms in the colons of C. difficile-infected people. The incidence of C. difficile gastroenteritis has drastically increased over the past decade because of prolonged treatments with multiple antibiotics that are often necessary to eradicate infections caused by multiple drug resistant bacteria.

Historically, CHO-based drugs (with a few notably exceptions like heparin) have not fared well as therapeutic agents. To my knowledge, OPT-80 is the first synthetic carbohydrate (CHO)-based antibiotic to demonstrate anti-bacterial efficacy in a Phase III clinical trial. Having worked for Transcell Technologies (now defunct) and Alchemia,Pty—both of which attempted to develop CHO-based antibiotics—Optimer’s clinical success with OPT-80 is certainly noteworthy. I wish the company continued success in the future—mostly because I have always thought that carbohydrates would make good antibiotics!

 

Until next time…

 

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

 

 

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