Focus on precision antibacterials
ASOBIOTICS 2024 attracted around 60 scientists to Würzburg
The discovery of antimicrobial agents has transformed modern medicine and made it possible to treat infections that were previously considered incurable. However, conventional antibiotics have significant disadvantages: they not only destroy harmful bacteria, but also beneficial ones, thereby disrupting the body's own microbiome. In addition, the number of pathogens that are resistant to common substances is constantly increasing. Antisense technologies may offer a solution and form the foundation for the development of a new generation of antibiotics. These so-called antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) were the focal point of the two-day ASOBIOTICS 2024 symposium, which took place from September 12 to 13 and attracted around 60 scientists from all over the world to the Helmholtz Institute in Würzburg.
Once introduced into the bacterial cell, ASOs or mimics thereof can directly modulate gene expression. Since they can be programmed using simple base-pairing rules, they can be designed with high accuracy and specificity. This opens up numerous possibilities, such as the rapid development of ASOs against newly emerging pathogens, sensitizing drug-resistant strains, or blocking key virulence factors—while sparing the microbiome. However, despite ample proof-of-concept for efficacy against a diverse range of bacterial pathogens in vitro and in vivo, ASOs are yet to advance to the point of drug approval.
The ASOBIOTICS 2024 symposium provided participants with a platform to discuss the challenges of progressing antibacterial ASOs from basic research to clinical application. Thirteen speakers in total presented on the history of the technology, its various applications, new delivery technologies, as well as the chemical biology and design of ASOs. Other highlights included a panel discussion, a poster session with 25 presentations and the conference dinner in the garden pavilion of the Juliusspital. In addition, the symposium offered numerous opportunities for informal discussions to further connect and strengthen the global research community in the field of antimicrobial ASOs.
