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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections constitute a threat to the public health due to their prevalence and associated mortality and morbidity. Several agents have been recently approved to treat MRSA skin infections including lipoglycopeptides (dalbavancin, oritavancin, and telavancin), ceftaroline, and tedizolid. This study compared the MIC, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill of these agents alongside daptomycin, linezolid, and vancomycin against MRSA (n = 15); meropenem, cefazolin, and nafcillin were also included against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA [n = 12]). MIC and MBC testing was conducted in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, and time-kills were evaluated at multiples of the MIC and the free-drug maximum plasma concentration ( f C max ) at both standard and high inoculum densities for a subset of MRSA (n = 2) and MSSA (n = 2). MRSA and MSSA were highly susceptible to all agents, with the lipoglycopeptides having the most potent activity by MIC 50/90 . All agents excluding tedizolid and linezolid were bactericidal by MBC for MRSA and MSSA, though dalbavancin and telavancin exhibited strain-specific bactericidal activity for MRSA. All agents excluding tedizolid and linezolid were bactericidal by time-kill at their respective f C max against MRSA and MSSA at standard inoculum density, though oritavancin exhibited the most rapid bactericidal activity. Oritavancin and daptomycin at their respective f C max maintained similar kill curves at high inoculum density. In contrast, the killing observed with other agents was typically reduced or slowed at high inoculum density. These data demonstrate the rapid bactericidal activity of oritavancin and daptomycin against S. aureus relative to other MRSA agents regardless of bacterial burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The RNA polymerase holoenzyme is a proven target for antibacterial agents. A high-throughput screening program based on this enzyme from Staphylococcus aureus had previously identified a 2-ureidothiophene-3-carboxylate as a low micromolar inhibitor. An investigation of the relationships between the structures of this class of compounds and their inhibitory- and antibacterial activities is described here, leading to a set of potent RNA polymerase inhibitors with antibacterial activity. Characterization of this bioactivity, including studies of the mechanism of action, is provided, highlighting the power of the reverse chemical genetics approach in providing tools to inhibit the bacterial RNA polymerase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Screening of a chemical library in a DNA helicase assay involving the Pseudomonas aeruginosa DnaB helicase provided a triaminotriazine inhibitor with good antibacterial activity but associated cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells. Synthesis of analogs provided a few inhibitors that retained antibacterial activity and demonstrated a significant reduction in cytotoxicity. The impact of serum and initial investigations toward a mode of action highlight several features of this class of compounds as antibacterials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]