New Hope for Newborns: Fighting Superbugs

NeoSep1, a pioneering clinical trial spanning eight countries, is developing new treatments for neonatal sepsis, a devastating infection causing an estimated 800,000 newborn deaths each year globally. The trial focuses on identifying effective and safe antibiotic combinations, particularly to combat escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which contributes to hundreds of thousands of these tragic deaths. Researchers are comparing new regimens with current treatments.

The study is notably repurposing older, affordable antibiotics like fosfomycin and flomoxef, which have a long history but have not been widely used in Africa for sepsis. By testing these in new combinations, the NeoSep1 trial aims to improve dosing information, identify causative organisms, and discover new treatment pathways. The research is crucial as many existing antibiotics are becoming ineffective against evolving bacteria.

Conducted across diverse nations including Kenya, South Africa, India, and Vietnam, the trial plans to enroll 3,000 babies by 2029. Findings from NeoSep1 are intended to inform the World Health Organization and national governments, leading to revised treatment guidelines and a reduction in the unnecessary use of antibiotics, thereby mitigating future resistance. The ultimate goal is to save more newborn lives.