piddock

The new compound, zosurabalpin, worked "extremely well" in test-tubes and mice, Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership scientific director Prof Laura Piddock said.

"What is exciting about this discovery is that one of the building blocks that are part of the outer part of this bacterial cell is disrupted by this new drug," Prof Piddock said.

This configuration "makes it very difficult to get drugs into it and to get drugs to stay inside", Prof Piddock told BBC News.

It was "exciting" the researchers had already completed some "first-in-man" studies - on a relatively small number of healthy people - and were "set up now to go on and do full clinical trials in people with the infection", Prof Piddock said.

"It is really exciting - and not only is it good for this type of bacteria, but this could be built upon for others as well," Prof Piddock added.