Abstract

Increasing bacterial resistance against current antibiotics and lack of new molecules to combat bacterial resistance
are key challenges to global health. There is, therefore, a continuing need to develop new antibiotics. Teixobactin, a cyclic
undecapeptide, displays excellent antibacterial activities against a range of pathogenic bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Interestingly, it operates by multiple modes of actions and is
bactericidal toward S. aureus without detectable resistance. This unique combination of wide Gram-positive activity coupled with
its inability to elicit resistance make teixobactin a very attractive molecule for antimicrobial therapeutic development. This
Viewpoint discusses teixobactin, its analogues, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their future development.