Novltex: new antibiotic targets antimicrobial resistance

Scientists at the University of Liverpool, working with international collaborators, have discovered Novltex, a new class of potent antibiotics that could help to treat some of the world’s most dangerous multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.

The discovery, led by Dr Ishwar Singh, a reader in antimicrobial drug discovery at the University of Liverpool, could be a big moment for the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – a health crisis recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top 10 threats to humanity, responsible for nearly 5 million deaths every year.

A new weapon against superbugs

WHO has highlighted several priority pathogens urgently in need of new antibiotics, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecium – with Novltex demonstrating fast and strong activity against both.

Unlike traditional antibiotics, Novltex targets lipid II – an essential component of bacterial cell walls that does not mutate. This makes it highly durable against resistance, addressing one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine.

Advances in antibiotic design

The discovery builds on pioneering research by Dr Singh and his team, who previously developed simplified synthetic versions of teixobactin, a natural molecule used by soil bacteria to kill competing microbes.

Building on that foundation, the researchers created Novltex – a modular synthetic antibiotic platform inspired by teixobactin and clovibactin. Novltex avoids costly building blocks, can be adapted to generate a library of molecules for optimisation and directly targets lipid II. This combination of potency and scalability makes Novltex one of the most promising antibiotic candidates in decades.

Key findings

Published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the researchers report that Novltex:

• Kills high-priority superbugs such as MRSA and E. faecium
• Remains durable against resistance by targeting an immutable bacterial Achilles’ heel
• Provides a modular platform for creating a library of molecules for safety and optimisation
• Works at very low doses and outperforms several licensed antibiotics, including vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, levofloxacin and cefotaxime
• Shows no toxicity in human cell models, with synthesis up to 30 times more efficient than natural products

“Novltex is a breakthrough in our fight against antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr Singh. “By creating a modular, scalable platform that targets an immutable bacterial structure, we have taken an important step towards antibiotics that remain effective against superbugs like MRSA. This work was only possible through international collaboration, because antimicrobial resistance is a truly global problem. While much more testing is required before Novltex reaches patients, our results show that durable and practical solutions to AMR are within reach.”

Next steps

The research team will now test Novltex compounds in animal models of infection to confirm safety and efficacy before collaborating with industry and global partners to prepare for clinical trials in the future.