Compound controls fungal infections

Compound controls fungal infections

• SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Scientists in New York say they're seeking a patent for a compound that could control fungal infections afflicting nearly 25,000 U.S. residents a year. The compounds known as brominated furanones have exhibited powerful antifungal properties, said university researcher Dacheng Ren. "In our tests, they reduced fungal growth by more than 80 percent, and we hope to improve on that going forward," Ren and his team said this week in the Journal of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. Nearly 25,000 U.S. residents develop severe fungal infections annually and 10,000 die despite the use of anti-fungal drugs, Ren said, noting treatment costs the healthcare system about $1 billion a year. The brominated furanones have proved effective against pathogenic fungus that has become increasingly resistant to anti-fungal drugs during the last two decades, Ren said. The furanones have different genetic targets and may avoid drug resistance, said Ren, whose team is seeking a provisional patent for the compound.

Thermo Bond