Phenoxybenzamine and Polymyxin E Combination for Latent Bacteria

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Solution Overview

Problem

The growing issue of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, particularly in clinically latent microorganisms, necessitates the development of new antimicrobial agents that can effectively target and kill both multiplying and non-multiplying bacteria, as prolonged exposure to suboptimal antibiotic concentrations can lead to the emergence of genotypically resistant bacteria.

Innovation Solution

A combination of phenoxybenzamine and polymyxin E, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates, is used to exhibit bactericidal activity against multiplying, non-multiplying, and clinically latent microorganisms, potentially shortening chemotherapy regimes and reducing the frequency of genotypical resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, then multiplying bacteria are killed, but genotypically resistant bacteria emerge due to prolonged exposure to suboptimal concentrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffectiveness against multiplying bacteriaVSAvoidemergence of genotypically resistant bacteria
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines phenoxybenzamine (a conventional antibiotic) with polymyxin E (a novel antimicrobial agent) to create a synergistic combination therapy. This merging of two different antimicrobial mechanisms allows the treatment to effectively kill both multiplying and non-multiplying bacteria, preventing resistance development while maintaining reliability against active infections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The combination therapy performs preliminary action by eliminating non-multiplying and persisting bacteria that would otherwise survive conventional antibiotic treatment. By addressing these dormant bacterial populations upfront, the treatment prevents their later activation and potential development of genotypic resistance, solving the contradiction between effective killing and resistance prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If new classes of antibiotics are developed to combat resistant bacteria, then treatment effectiveness improves, but bacteria continue to develop resistance to these new agents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment effectiveness against resistant bacteriaVSAvoidcontinuous development of new resistance mechanisms
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges a conventional antibiotic (phenoxybenzamine) with a novel agent (polymyxin E) to create a multi机制 treatment approach. This combination targets bacteria through multiple pathways simultaneously, making it much harder for bacteria to develop resistance compared to single-agent therapy, thus improving reliability while reducing the selective pressure that drives continuous resistance development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The combination therapy ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining effective bacterial killing across all bacterial states (multiplying, non-multiplying, and persisting). This continuous effective action eliminates the window of opportunity for resistance development that occurs with intermittent or partial treatment effectiveness, addressing both improved reliability and reduced resistance emergence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If prolonged antibiotic treatment is administered to eliminate all bacteria, then infection clearance improves, but the frequency of genotypically resistant bacteria increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfection clearance rateVSAvoidfrequency of genotypically resistant bacteria
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The combination therapy performs preliminary action by eliminating non-multiplying and persisting bacteria early in the treatment course. This upfront elimination of dormant bacterial populations prevents their later activation and reduces the need for prolonged treatment, thereby improving infection clearance while minimizing the selective pressure that leads to genotypic resistance development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The combination maintains continuous useful action against all bacterial populations simultaneously, achieving complete infection clearance more rapidly. This shortened treatment duration reduces the time window during which genotypic resistance can emerge, thus improving clearance rates while decreasing the frequency of resistant bacteria compared to prolonged monotherapy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP2613774B1Combination of phenoxybenzamine and polymixine e to treat microbial infections
Publication Date: 2018.03.28 HELPERBY THERAPEUTICS LTD
  • EP2613774B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2613774B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to the use of one or more compounds selected from the following classes of biologically active agents: an a-adrenergic antagonist, an anthelmintic agent, an antifungal agent, an antimalarial agent, an antineoplastic agent, an antipsychotic agent, an antioxidant, a vasodilator and/or a vitamin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, for use in the treatment of a microbial infection and in particular for killing multiplying, non-multiplying and/or clinically latent microorganisms associated with such an infection.