Nanoparticle drug delivery to tackle antibiotic resistance

There is a general consensus that drug-resistant microorganisms have emerged as an ecological consequence of the injudicious use of antimicrobial agents. To combat resistance, a European study has developed nanoparticles for the safer delivery of drugs.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is an intracellular pathogen. When targeting such pathogens, the selected drug must be able to cross the eukaryotic cell membrane to ensure therapeutic success. However, not all antibiotics achieve the therapeutic intracellular concentration, resulting in antibiotic resistance and emphasising the need for improved drug delivery systems capable of penetrating infected cells.

Further details: Nanoparticle drug delivery to tackle antibiotic resistance