Pneumonia: enzyme and antibiotic

Researchers at Berlin's Charité Hospital have successfully together with colleagues at the Rockefeller University in New York, a new  amoxicillin treatment for pneumonia tested. The team led by Dr. Martin Witzenrath and Professor Dr. Norbert Suttorp reported in the journal "Critical Care Medicine" (Volume 37 (2), pp. 642-649) that it had succeeded in mice for the first time, one caused by pneumococcal pneumonia by enzyme to heal cpl-1. The enzyme is produced by so-called bacteriophages (viruses infecting bacteria).
In mice, the researchers tested the effect of Cpl-1. The seriously ill to pneumococcal pneumonia, animals were divided into three groups: The first group received the antibiotic amoxicillin, the second was injected with Cpl-1 in the abdominal cavity, the third a placebo. All control animals died. Of the mice treated with Cpl-1 100 percent survived when they were treated for 24 hours after infection, and 42 percent (after 48 hours). In the amoxicillin group survived 86 percent (24 hours) and 71 percent (48 hours). "Our findings indicate Cpl-1 was as effective as an antibiotic, without harming other bacteria. Unfortunately it only works with pneumococci, but there are similar enzymes from different bacteria, "explains Witzenrath. Approval process for initial clinical trials are already underway.