Grant: Engage Grants Program

The high adaptation ability of bacteria to existing antibacterial agents is a major issue that requires newapproaches in the design of novel antibiotics. One such approach, used by a small hi-tech Canadian companyOtava Ltd, is based on selective binding of chemical molecules to specific bacterial RNA or DNA sequences.This binding leads to depletion of bacteria growth and reproduction. Here we propose a new methodology forchemical screening and evaluation of compounds designed to selectively bind microbial RNA/DNA. Usingcomputer simulation methods, Otava Inc. has created novel libraries of fine organic compounds that matchphysical and structural parameters of typical RNA/DNA targets. Further screening steps aimed to determinethe most promising pre-antibiotics are very expensive, time-consuming, and require special biohazardaccredited laboratory facilities. For now, Otava Inc. needs to collaborate with large pharmaceutical companiesto perform in vivo screening of the activity of each compound they produce. This approach significantlyincreases the turnover time between the development of the product and commercialization of the findings. Thelack of the fast screening method to evaluate the activity of their compounds is hampering their researchabilities and limiting their ability to grow. We believe that we will be able to develop a purely chemical methodto estimate the potential of organic compounds from the library to act as selective inhibitors of duplication ofspecific bacterial DNA sequences. This will allow eliminating less effective compounds and proposing highquality competitive commercial products to the pharmaceutical industry. We expect this to allow the smallOntario company to grow and compete with larger international companies. It is not a secret that it is verydifficult for Canadian companies to compete with third-world countries that over-use cheap labor power andmaintain poor working environments to reduce the cost of their products. We want to use our scientificstrengths to optimize the process of pharmaceutical screening and allow Canadian companies to intensify theirresearch power while maintaining high standards of work environment and living.