AN experimental Alzheimer's disease drug could hold the key to treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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The drug - called PBT2, is proving to be effective at killing a class of bacteria that can cause infections such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis.
Researchers from University of Queensland, University of Melbourne and Griffith University say the drug could be the key to treating antimicrobial-resistant bacteria which causes 10 million deaths a year.
University of Queensland (UQ) researcher Mark Walker said antibiotic resistant superbugs were a huge threat to human health..
"Alternative strategies to treat such multi-drug resistant bacteria are urgently needed," he said.
Professor Walker said the team - led by Dr David De Oliveira, had hypothesised that disrupting the metals inside bacteria would disrupt their antibiotic resistance.
"This was shown to be the case, with the Alzheimer's drug - combined with the antibiotic polymyxin."
He said the combined treatment had proven successful in treating superbugs including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.
Griffith University Professor Mark von Itzstein said results outlined the potential for antibiotics which had become ineffective to become viable once more.
The University of Melbourne's Christopher McDevitt, said the drug had completely cleared infection during animal trials.
"Hopefully in the not-too-distant future people will be able to access this type of treatment in the clinic," Associate Professor McDevitt said.
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