A novel peptide mimetic, brilacidin, for combating multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Abdelsattar AS, Abutaleb NS, Seleem MN

PloS one5 Jun 2025Cited by 10 (Europe PMC)

PMID40471977PMCIDPMC12140270DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0325722PepBankPUB-40471977

Summary

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an urgent public health threat due to rising infections and rapid resistance development. N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to nearly all FDA-approved drugs, with ceftriaxone being the only remaining effective treatment for gonococcal infections. Alarmingly, ceftriaxone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains were isolated worldwide, raising the potential of untreatable gonorrhea in the near future. Hence, the critical need to develop new anti-N. gonorrhoeae therapeutics cannot be overemphasized. In this study, we identified the peptide mimetic brilacidin as an effective anti-gonococcal agent. Brilacidin completed phase 2 clinical trials for treating skin infections, oral mucositis, and COVID-19. Herein, brilacidin displayed potent activity against a panel of 22 drug-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae, inhibiting 50% of the strains tested (MIC50) at the concentration of 4 µg/mL. The peptide exhibited rapid bactericidal activity, reducing N. gonorrhoeae high inoculum within two hours. Moreover, brilacidin was superior to the drug of choice, ceftriaxone, in eliminating the intracellular N. gonorrhoeae harbored within endocervical cells. Additionally, brilacidin showed high tolerability in mammalian cells and lacked hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. Altogether, the results demonstrate that brilacidin is a promising anti-gonococcal agent that warrants further in-depth investigation.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01LabEx vivo tissueSafety outcome
In human erythrocyte laboratory tests, brilacidin lacked hemolytic activity.
In plain wordsIn lab tests, brilacidin did not break down human red blood cells.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
Not applicableHemolytic activity
Study
humann: not reported in source
human erythrocytes
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Additionally, brilacidin showed high tolerability in mammalian cells and lacked hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4047197705
02LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In laboratory tests of 22 drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains, brilacidin had an MIC50 of 4 µg/mL.
In plain wordsIn lab tests of drug-resistant gonorrhoea bacteria, brilacidin inhibited half the tested strains at 4 µg/mL.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
Not applicableMIC50
Study
Neisseria gonorrhoeaen: not reported in source
drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Outcome group
Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
MIC50
4 µg/mL
22 drug-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae
Source sentences
Summary
Herein, brilacidin displayed potent activity against a panel of 22 drug-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae, inhibiting 50% of the strains tested (MIC50) at the concentration of 4 µg/mL.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4047197701
03LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In laboratory tests, brilacidin reduced a high N. gonorrhoeae inoculum within two hours.
In plain wordsIn lab tests, brilacidin reduced high numbers of gonorrhoea bacteria within two hours.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseRapid bactericidal activity
Study
Neisseria gonorrhoeaen: not reported in source
drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Outcome group
Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
The peptide exhibited rapid bactericidal activity, reducing N. gonorrhoeae high inoculum within two hours.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4047197702
04LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In endocervical cells, brilacidin eliminated intracellular N. gonorrhoeae more effectively than ceftriaxone.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin eliminated intracellular gonorrhoea bacteria more effectively than ceftriaxone.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
IncreaseIntracellular bacterial elimination
Study
Neisseria gonorrhoeaen: not reported in source
endocervical cells infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Comparator
ceftriaxone
Outcome group
Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Moreover, brilacidin was superior to the drug of choice, ceftriaxone, in eliminating the intracellular N. gonorrhoeae harbored within endocervical cells.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4047197703
05LabIn vitro (cells)Safety outcome
In mammalian laboratory cells, brilacidin showed high tolerability.
In plain wordsIn cells from mammals, brilacidin showed high tolerability.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
Not applicableMammalian cell tolerability
Study
n: not reported in source
mammalian cells
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Additionally, brilacidin showed high tolerability in mammalian cells and lacked hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4047197704

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
27 Oct 2026, 18:20 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
27 Oct 2026, 16:32 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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