Based on the structure of the lincosamide class of antibiotics, a Harvard University team led by Dr. Andrew Myers has developed a synthetic antibiotic.  Cresomycin was synthesized using component-based technology that will allow more effective binding to bacterial ribosomes.  It is anticipated that the synthetic antibiotic will overcome the protective mechanism developed by bacteria by producing ribosomal RNA methyltransferase.

If clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy and safety of cresomycin, it will represent a new class of antibiotics effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens and especially against multidrug resistant strains of Staphylococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas.