Antibiotics With Promise, India’s Most Awaited Lifeline

Antibiotics: The term antibiotic resistance or drug resistance is a subset of antimicrobial resistance or AMR which is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication. AMR is facilitated by the inappropriate use of medicines, for example, using antibiotics for viral infections such as the flu. Recently, the United Nations (UN) has begun considering the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to be at par with diseases like Ebola and HIV.

Antibiotics With Promise Context

Recently, some Indian researchers developed the antibiotic Cefepime/Zidebactam to combat drug ­resistance of pathogens.

Issues Caused by Anti-Microbial Resistance

• The scarcity of potent antibiotics to combat drug ­resistant infections poses a threat to the lives of millions of people.
• The available antibiotics have lost their effectiveness due to rising resistance.
• The effectiveness of anti-biotics are
• Due lack of efficiency in antibiotics, doctors have to resort to sub-optimal treatments that can have significant side effects.

Indian Innovation to Combat AMR

Cefepime/Zidebactam, developed by Indian researchers is an antibiotic that combines two active components to combat drug­ resistant gram­-negative pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Gram-negative bacteria are resistant to multiple drugs and are increasingly resistant to most available antibiotics. These bacteria have built-in abilities to find new ways to be resistant and can pass along genetic materials that allow other bacteria to become drug-resistant as well.

This Indian innovation has shown remarkable potential, when given to an 18­year­ old patient suffering from T­-cell leukemia it showed positive signs such as the patient’s fever subsided, blood cultures turned negative, and the need for oxygen diminished, slowly but steadily, his strength returned, reigniting hope.

Japanese Counterpart

Cefiderocol, developed by a Japanese company has demonstrated excellent efficacy against drug-resistant infections. The drug is being licensed in many countries but not in India.

Current Hurdle in accessing these Drugs

India has not given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to these drugs.

EUA is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is opposite to the conventional method of drug approval.

In India, the regulatory authority is the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Way Forward

• A collective decision by a team of experienced doctors, including infectious diseases experts should be made mandatory before initiating the use of such drugs to minimize wastage.
• Granting EUA for cefepime/zidebactam, an Indian innovation, and cefiderocol,a globally recognised antibiotic

Antibiotics Conclusion

Cefepime/zidebactam is a shining example of India’s scientific skill by demonstrating its potential to save lives. The inclusion of Cefepime/zidebactam and Cefiderocol in the EUA list would not only empower doctors but also instill a renewed sense of hope and confidence among patients and their families.

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