pathogens. Computational approaches are essential tools to this end since their application enables fast and early strategical decisions in the drug development process. We present a rational design approach, in which acylide antibiotics were screened based on computational predictions of solubility, membrane permeability, and binding affinity toward the ribosome. To assess our designstrategy, we tested
A novel series of acylides, 3-O-(aryl)acetylerythromycin A derivatives, were synthesized and evaluated. These compounds have significant potent antibacterial activity against not only Gram-positive pathogens, including inducibly macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB)-resistant and efflux-resistant strains, but also Gram-negative pathogens, such as H. influenzae. 6,9:11,12-Dicarbonate acylide 47 (FMA0122) was twice as active against H. influenzae than azithromycin, whereas it showed only moderate in vivo efficacy in mouse protection tests. However, the 11,12-carbamate acylide 19 (TEA0929), which showed potent antibacterial activity against almost all of the main causative pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia tested, exhibited excellent in vivo efficacy comparable to those of second-generation macrolides.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Acylides (3-<i>O</i>-Acyl-erythromycin Derivatives): A Novel Class of Macrolide Antibiotics
Introduction of an acyl group to the 3-O-position of erythromycin A derivatives instead of L-cladinose led to a novel class of macrolide antibiotics that we named "acylides". The 3-O-nitrophenylacetyl derivative TEA0777 showed significantly potent activity against not only erythromycin-susceptible Gram-positive pathogens but also inducibly macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramin B (MLS(B))-resistant