Latest news with #CRAB
Arabian Post
12-06-2025
- Health
- Arabian Post
Breakthrough Antibiotic to Combat Deadly Superbug Advances
Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche has advanced its antibiotic candidate, zosurabalpin, into Phase 3 clinical trials, representing a potential landmark in the fight against Gram-negative bacterial infections. Targeting carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, the drug could mark the first approval of a novel antibiotic class in more than 50 years. Zosurabalpin, a tethered macrocyclic peptide developed in collaboration with Harvard University, disrupts the outer lipopolysaccharide membrane essential for bacterial survival. Early-stage studies demonstrated favourable safety and pharmacokinetic profiles, while animal models of lung and thigh infections caused by CRAB confirmed its therapeutic potential. Roche anticipates enrolling approximately 400 hospitalised patients worldwide in the upcoming trial round, with the aim of comparing zosurabalpin directly against current standard-of-care antibiotics. The urgency of this development is underscored by CRAB's classification by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an 'urgent threat' and by the World Health Organization as a high priority pathogen. Infection fatality rates hover around 40–60%, particularly among immunocompromised patients such as those in intensive care. Existing antibiotics are often ineffective due to CRAB's robust outer membranes that thwart drug penetration. ADVERTISEMENT Phase 3 trials are scheduled to begin late this year or in early 2026, spanning over 100 global sites and aiming for regulatory submission by the decade's end. Roche executives emphasise that approval would not only address a dire clinical need but also serve as a catalyst for renewed antibiotic research, especially against Gram-negative organisms. 'Finding new classes is very hard,' noted Michael Lobritz, Roche's global head of infectious diseases; approval could lay groundwork for future innovation. Roche has previously stepped back from antibiotic R&D, but a reinvestment around ten years ago has now yielded zosurabalpin. The firm is simultaneously exploring additional novel compounds, including a LepB inhibitor targeting carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens in urinary tract infections. Efforts to restore antibiotic pipelines have gained traction from policymakers. The UK introduced a subscription-style payment model to support antimicrobial development, decoupling revenue from volume to ensure steady returns. The US is now considering similar incentives. Such frameworks aim to overcome financial disincentives that have plagued the industry, contributing to the closure of many smaller biotechs focusing on antibiotics. Meanwhile, complementary research is underway. A novel molecule named lariocidin was identified from soil bacteria by scientists at McMaster University. It targets the bacterial ribosome through a distinctive lasso-peptide structure but remains in preclinical stages. Similarly, researchers at MIT and McMaster have used artificial-intelligence methods to develop abaucin, a narrow-spectrum compound effective in killing CRAB. Both discoveries offer hope for expanding the antibiotic pipeline beyond zosurabalpin. Zosurabalpin's mechanism of action—from inhibiting lipopolysaccharide transport to compromising the bacterial envelope—distinguishes it from older therapies, which have often been broad-spectrum and prone to fostering resistance. By contrast, this new agent is narrow-spectrum, tailored to CRAB and avoiding pre-existing resistance mechanisms. The evolving antibiotic landscape now features roughly 20 candidates in clinical development for high-priority pathogens, though historical attrition rates remain troubling. Financial instability has led to the collapse of several promising antibiotic-focused firms, exemplified by Achaogen's bankruptcy in 2019 shortly after FDA approval of plazomicin. In light of these challenges, zosurabalpin represents a critical test case: its success could prove the viability of targeted, high-impact antibiotic development supported by improved economic incentives. As Roche and its collaborators gear up for the pivotal Phase 3 trial, global health advocates view the outcome not only as a potential therapeutic breakthrough, but as a signal of renewed momentum in a sector long plagued by stagnation.
Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
First Indian rock band on America's Got Talent is from Northeast
Growing up in Sikkim's Gangtok on a steady diet of gritty tunes and razor-sharp riffs by pioneering hard rock icons like The Eagles and Guns N' Roses and local rock talent like CRAB and Still Waters, members of the four-piece Girish and The Chronicles never concerned themselves with conforming to India's mainstream music scene — one that is often dominated by film music and represented abroad through Indian classical music. The band, instead, for the last 16 years, doubled down on a sound that was unmistakably rooted in classic Western hard rock and metal. But even for a band which built its identity on a genre far away from typical national temper and trends, they never factored in America's Got Talent: one of the most popular TV shows in the world. Their breakout moment on the show's Season 20 last week: a roaring performance of Adele's 'Set fire to the rain' in the audition round knocked the socks off of the frenzied audience and judges — Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B — not expecting an Indian rock band to perform actual hard rock. Just as the band flung itself into the pop song with distorted guitars and Girish's unhinged voice, all four were stunned, followed by an enthusiastic standing ovation and a resounding entry into the next round. 'The whole experience was surreal… it was electrifying… something we'll never forget. Years of touring, dreaming, and staying true to our sound led up to that moment. We're just incredibly grateful to be part of something this big, and to share a piece of our journey with the world,' said frontman Girish Pradhan in an email conversation with The Indian Express. 'You come from the other side of the globe and do something so traditionally American.. It was so beautiful,' said Howie Mandel on the show. On Friday last week, hot on the heels of their now viral performance with 1.7 million views, the Bengaluru-based band — comprising vocalist Girish, guitarist Suraz Sun, bassist Yogesh Pradhan (also Girish's younger brother), and drummer Nagen Nags – with their long tresses cascading behind and goatees that harked back to the 90s, sang a set at the Capital's newly opened The Piano Man. As if plucked straight from the golden age of rock 'n' roll and planted in the cosy live music venue, the band had those present flipping out as frontman Girish's soaring vocals pierced through with the song 'Rock n roll is here to stay'. With limbs pounding, someone from the crowd screamed, 'AGT winners'. Girish obliged by crooning the performance from the show. 'The outpouring of love and support we have received from across the globe has been overwhelming in the best way possible. It's a reaffirmation of everything we've worked so hard for, and a reminder of how far we've come,' said Girish. It all started when a producer from America's Got Talent reached out to Girish via Instagram, after seeing a soundcheck video he had posted from a show at Independence Rock Festival in Mumbai. 'That conversation opened the door for us to pursue AGT, and the rest followed naturally,' says Girish, who identifies the global perception of Indian music, which is traditionally centred around classical genres and Bollywood. 'But as a band, we never set out to fit into that mould. Coming from Sikkim, we were already on the periphery of the mainstream spotlight – and in many ways, that gave us the freedom to chart our own course…We're not trying to redefine what it means to be Indian. We are simply sharing our story,' says Girish. Girish and his younger brother Yogesh are the sons of Bimla Pradhan, a well-known Nepali folk and classical singer, and football commentator Shyam Pradhan, who was deeply passionate about music, and also the band's first manager, mentor and financier. While the brothers grew up with the traditional sound of folk music at home, they were soon drawn to Northeast's deep connection with rock and metal.
Fast Company
29-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
This new antibiotic may finally put a stop to some of the world's most drug-resistant pathogens
'Gram-negative bacteria' pose a huge threat to public health. With deathly adaptability, these types of bacteria are able to develop resistance to many antibiotics and survive in a wide range of conditions. In particular, Acinetobacter baumannii, also known as CRAB, is one of clinical medicine's most antibiotic resistant pathogens, killing hundreds in the U.S. every year with estimated mortality rates ranging from 26.0% to 55.7%. But a new antibiotic from Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche could change the future of how we treat Gram-negative bacteria. Roche announced on Monday that its antibiotic zosurabalpin will enter phase 3, late-stage human trials, by the end of this year or early next year. If successful, the drug will be the first new class of antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria to be developed in over 50 years. What makes Gram-negative bacteria so hard to treat? Antibiotics treat illness by killing bacteria or suspending bacterial growth. But in order to access and attack crucial parts of the bacteria, most antibiotics must first pass through their outer membranes. However, Gram-negative bacteria are distinguished from other forms of bacteria because they are protected by a second outer membrane. These outer membranes are covered in protective molecules called lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which stabilize the membranes and create a barrier to most drugs and antibiotics. This resistance makes Gram-negative bacteria extremely tricky to treat, especially with patients who are already immunocompromised. It causes around a fifth of ICU infections, and most cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia, bloodstream infections related to catheters, and sepsis developed from the ICU. How does zosurabalpin help? Roche collaborated with Harvard researchers to develop a new way to stop Gram-negative bacteria. They found that the key was to inhibit the transportation of LPS molecules, the armor that creates the structure of the bacteria's outer membrane. Zosurabalpin is able to destroy Gram-negative bacteria by jamming LPS molecules inside the bacteria, weakening its membrane. It is the first of its class of antibiotics, and the first new class of antibiotics for Gram-negative bacteria since 1968. 'This antibiotic is important, but it can also serve as a catalysis point for future innovation,' said Michael Lobritz, global head of infectious diseases at Roche, to the Financial Times. 'There are very few [new classes of antibiotics] . . . that have been discovered in the last 15 years. So if you are able to launch a new one, we can build off that for decades to come.' Basel-based Roche has a vast portfolio that includes treatments for cancer, severe eye diseases, and multiple sclerosis. The company reported sales of roughly $68.7 billion in 2024, marking growth of 7% over the previous year on a constant exchange rate basis.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
First new antibiotic in 50 years to tackle superbug
The first new antibiotic in 50 years to tackle a common superbug will be tested on patients. The drug, which targets one of the bacteria considered to pose the biggest threat to human health, has been hailed as an 'exciting' development in the fight against antibiotic resistance. On Monday, Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, announced that it will take zosurabalpin into the third and last phase of testing on humans. It is the first drug in five decades to show promise of tackling Acinetobacter baumannii, a pathogen which is described as a 'priority' by the World Health Organisation and an 'urgent threat' by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US national public health agency. The drug-resistant bacteria disproportionately impact patients who are in the hospital, causing infections such as pneumonia and sepsis. It is estimated that between 40 and 60 per cent of infected patients, many of whom are immunocompromised because of conditions such as cancer, die as a result of the bug. One of the reasons it is so difficult to treat is that it has a double-walled 'membrane' protecting it from attack, so it is difficult to get drugs into it and to keep them in, experts say. Zosurabalpin, which has been developed alongside researchers at Harvard University, targets the 'machine' which stops the outer membrane from forming properly. It works differently to all existing antibiotics and it is hoped that it could lay the foundations for future drugs. Michael Lobritz, global head infectious diseases at Roche, said: 'Our goal is to contribute new innovations to overcome antimicrobial resistance, one of the biggest infectious disease challenges to public health.' The phase-three trial, which it is hoped will start later this year or in early 2026, will look at around 400 patients with a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii (CRAB) infection who will either receive zosuarbalpin or the current standard of care. It is hoped that the drug will be approved by the end of the decade. Larry Tsai, senior vice president and global head of immunology and product development at Genentech, a unit of Roche, said that the drug-resistant bacteria 'are present in every country of the world' . He said that 'the innovative biology involved in this research could potentially reveal new insights into the structure of bacterial membranes, possibly leading to the discovery of new antibiotics in the future'. Pharmaceutical companies, including Roche, have in the past been unwilling to pursue new antibiotics because of a difficult market in which the drugs are used sparingly to try and avoid resistance. However, the UN has warned that if nothing is done to address the issue, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and cause a worldwide financial crash. Dr Alistair Farley, scientific lead at the Ineos Oxford Institute, has welcomed zosurabalpin as an 'exciting development' for the field. 'There is an urgent unmet clinical need to develop new antibiotics against priority pathogens such as CRAB where antimicrobial resistance is a major concern,' he said. Dr Farley added that it 'may provide a route to the development of new drugs'. Studies showing that it worked 'extremely well' in test-tubes and mice were published in the journal Nature earlier this year. Prof Laura Piddock, scientific director of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, said at the time that it provided 'definite hope' for other hard-to-treat infections. 'What is exciting about this discovery is that one of the building blocks that are part of the outer part of this bacterial cell is disrupted by this new drug,' Prof Piddock said. Antimicrobial resistance was declared by world leaders to be 'one of the most urgent global health threats' at the UN General Assembly earlier this year. The declaration committed members to establish independent panels on antimicrobial resistance, as many have done for climate change, and to reduce deaths linked to resistance by 10 per cent by 2030. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Centipede-inspired robots promise cheaper weed control for vineyards, blueberry farms
A giant robotic centipede could soon crawl out of the lab and into vineyards and blueberry farms in the United States. Inspired by nature's long, slender, and wiggly movers, Ground Control Robotics (GCR), an Atlanta-based startup, has developed a robotic centipede designed specifically for tough agricultural terrain. Built with a simple design, the robot consists of a sensor-equipped head followed by several identical segments connected by cables, each powered by a couple of motors that move its legs. While this setup technically offers many degrees of freedom, it achieves impressive performance through relatively straightforward control methods. 'Centipede robots, like snake robots, essentially move like swimmers,' explains Daniel Goldman, director of CRAB (Complex Rheology and Biomechanics) Lab at Georgia Institute of Technology, told IEEE Spectrum. But the addition of legs lets these robots navigate a wider variety of environments. Their unique cable-driven legs generate a fluid-like thrust mimicking the motion of real arthropods, allowing these 'robophysical' models to 'swim' through uneven ground without getting stuck or damaging crops. By carefully coordinating the lifting and lowering of legs, the robot can help it push off surfaces and maintain steady, reliable motion. 'We developed a new mechanism that shifts actuation from the robot's centerline out to the sides via cables,' Goldman said. 'When tuned correctly, the robot transforms from rigid to flexible in one direction, and that's when the magic happens — it can swim through complex terrain effortlessly, all without any brain power.' Unlike traditional robots, these multi-legged machines navigate complex environments with surprising ease. The initial focus is on automating weed control and crop monitoring in perennial farms where traditional machinery struggles. Manual weeding in such fields can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per acre, with labor shortages only making it harder. According to GCR, no automated solutions currently exist for weed control around tangled, bushy, or vine-like crops such as blueberries, strawberries, or grapes. The company believes their robotic centipedes could be the game-changing alternative. 'We want to send the robot as close to the crops as possible,' Goldman said. 'And we don't want a bigger, clunkier machine to destroy those fields.' GCR anticipates that its robotic centipedes will be significantly more affordable than conventional agricultural robots, with projected costs in the thousand-dollar range. This cost efficiency stems from the relatively inexpensive leg modules and the reliance on mechanical intelligence rather than complex sensors or computational systems. The company envisions deploying a decentralized swarm of these robots capable of operating autonomously in fields around the clock. In the initial phase, the robots will focus on scouting and monitoring, which already provides substantial value to farmers. The bug-like robot can deliver herbicide directly to the weed as well as remove it mechanically. Ground Control Robotics Over time, GCR aims to equip the robots with active weed-removal mechanisms—potentially including specialized grippers or even laser-based solutions—offering a scalable, low-cost alternative to existing methods. Ground Control Robotics is currently collaborating with a blueberry grower and a vineyard owner in Georgia to conduct pilot programs. These trials will help refine the robot's navigation and sensing capabilities before broader deployment. The company is also exploring potential applications beyond agriculture. Future use cases could include disaster relief operations and even military deployments. However, as Daniel Goldman notes, different environments may necessitate alternative limb configurations or the capability for the limbs to retract entirely, depending on specific operational demands.
