REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Antimicrobials, Resistance and Chemotherapy
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1625300
This article is part of the Research TopicEmerging Antimicrobials: Sources, Mechanisms of Action, Spectrum of Activity, Combination Antimicrobial Therapy, and Resistance MechanismsView all 43 articles
Development of Polymyxin-and Aminoglycoside-Based Outer Membrane Permeabilizers: A Review
Provisionally accepted
- University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
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The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) necessitates the development of alternative therapeutic options, particularly against critical priority Gram-negative pathogens. The utilization of antibiotic adjuvants or potentiators is an advantageous strategy that targets bacterial resistance mechanisms, thereby augmenting the activity of an antibiotic used in combination. Among these, outer membrane (OM) permeabilizers are a promising class of adjuvants which compromise the OM barrier unique to Gram-negative bacteria. This review focuses on the emerging role of polymyxins and aminoglycosides – two structurally distinct antibiotics with different modes of action, but share the ability to interact with the bacterial OM. Here, we explore the design, modification, and application of polymyxin-and aminoglycoside-based OM permeabilizers, highlighting their potential against resistant Gram-negative infections.
Keywords: Polymyxins, Aminoglycosides, outer membrane permeabilizers, Combinationtherapy, Antibiotic adjuvants, Potentiators
Received: 08 May 2025; Accepted: 28 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Schweizer and Ramirez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Frank Schweizer, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
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