Hp1404 – Antimicrobial Peptides – AMP

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are proving a lucrative area for antibiotics in the era of bacterial resistance. Of note, the scorpion Heterometrus petersii was found to produce Hp1404, an amphipathic cationic peptide with specific activity against Gram-positive bacteria- Hp1404 was shown to be effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The mode of action is by membrane penetration and disruption. MRSA did not gain resistance after several exposures to Hp1404 suggesting it may be a key agent against the rise of antibiotic resistance. Importantly, bacterial lethality was maintained with low toxicity to mammalian cells. Hp1404 is being used to generate analogues with reduced toxicity to mammalian cells and improved antimicrobial potency against a wider range of organisms.