Long-lost antibiotic may help beat superbugs

A LARGELY forgotten antibiotic could help the fight against superbugs.

The chemical octapeptin was first discovered 40 years ago, but as there was an abundance of new antibiotics, research was focused elsewhere.

Now University of Queensland scientists have re-evaluated its effectiveness against superbugs known as gram-negative bacteria.

Writing in the journal Cell Chemical Biology, they said the drug was more effective than colistin, the last-resort drug for bacterial infections.

It’s hoped these findings will lead to a new generation of antibiotics.