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Review
. 2021 May 17:11:684515.
doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.684515. eCollection 2021.

Brief Overview of Approaches and Challenges in New Antibiotic Development: A Focus On Drug Repurposing

Natalie K Boyd  1   2 , Chengwen Teng  3 , Christopher R Frei  1   2   4   5
Affiliations
Review

Brief Overview of Approaches and Challenges in New Antibiotic Development: A Focus On Drug Repurposing

Natalie K Boyd et al. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. .

Abstract

Drug repurposing, or identifying new uses for existing drugs, has emerged as an alternative to traditional drug discovery processes involving de novo synthesis. Drugs that are currently approved or under development for non-antibiotic indications may possess antibiotic properties, and therefore may have repurposing potential, either alone or in combination with an antibiotic. They might also serve as "antibiotic adjuvants" to enhance the activity of certain antibiotics.

Keywords: antibiotics; drug development; drug repurposing; reverse translation; translational science.

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Conflict of interest statement

CF’s institutions have received grant money, for CF to perform research, from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, in the last 3 years. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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