Panjab University faculty get patent for lantibiotic drug

The inventors are professor Dipti Sareen and Dr Mangal Singh, from the department of biochemistry at Panjab University, Chandigarh

Two professors from the department of biochemistry at Panjab University (PU) have been granted an Indian patent for their invention of a two-component lantibiotic roseocin from Streptomyces filamentosus for 20 years. The inventors are professor Dipti Sareen and Dr Mangal Singh.

This peptide-based drug can be used to inhibit the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. (HT file)

To challenge the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), “lantibiotics” are emerging as promising drugs against multi-drug resistant bacteria. This peptide-based drug can be used to inhibit the growth of drug-resistant bacteria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance to be one of the biggest threats to global health. To counter antibiotic resistance, the WHO has recommended research and development of new antimicrobial agents as one of the major objectives in the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance (2015).