What is the news?

• The Technology Development Board (TDB) has allocated a grant of ₹75 Lakhs for the project “ANAGRANINF – Development of a Novel Class of Antibiotics against Gram-Negative Bacterial-Infections,” totalling ₹1.5 crores.

What is Project ANAGRANINF?

• Project ANAGRANINF is titled “Development of a Novel Class of Antibiotics Against Gram-Negative Bacterial-Infections.”
• It is a collaborative initiative involving M/s Peptris Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and the Foundation for Neglected Disease Research (FNDR) in India, along with ABAC THERAPEUTICS SL from Spain.
• The primary objective of the project is-

1. To develop a novel antibiotic capable of inhibiting the FabI enzyme and
2. Combating critical gram-negative pathogens.

• Project ANAGRANINF aims to produce a series of compounds with enhanced efficacy against gram-negative bacterial infections.
• The project aims to identify a candidate molecule that meets WHO’s innovation criteria, ensuring a new chemical structure, no cross-resistance with existing antibiotic classes, and a novel mechanism of action.

About the Candidate Molecule ‘MMV1578564’

The selected hit molecule from the project, MMV1578564, has exhibited promising activity against gram-negative pathogens, providing a foundation for further research and development efforts.

Back2Basics:

1. Gram-Negative Bacteria:
   • Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall, which is located between the outer and inner membranes.
   • They stain pink or red when subjected to the Gram staining technique.
   • Gram-negative bacteria are generally more resistant to antibiotics due to the presence of an outer membrane that acts as a barrier against certain antibiotics.
   • Examples of gram-negative bacteria include Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
   • They are known to cause infections like pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound infections, and meningitis in healthcare settings
2. Gram-Positive Bacteria:
   • Gram-positive bacteria have a thick layer of peptidoglycan in their cell wall, which retains the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining technique.
   • They appear purple or blue under a microscope after staining.
   • Gram-positive bacteria are generally more susceptible to antibiotics because their thick peptidoglycan layer allows antibiotics to penetrate more easily.
   • Examples of gram-positive bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium difficile.
   • Some examples of diseases caused by Gram-positive bacteria include anthrax, diphtheria, enterococcal infections, erysipelothricosis, and listeriosis.These bacteria can cause a range of infections from food poisoning to serious respiratory diseases and may require specific antibiotics for treatment.

PYQ:

2021: Consider the following:​

1. Bacteria​
2. Fungi​
3. Virus​

Which of the above can be cultured in artificial/synthetic medium?​

1. 1 and 2 only ​
2. 2 and 3 only​
3. 1 and 3 only ​
4. 1, 2 and 3​

Practice MCQ:

The recently launched Project ‘ANAGRANINF’ deals with:

1. Agricultural Grant
2. Artificial Intelligence
3. Antibiotics Development
4. None of these

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