Patent ID: 7892782
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: A61P,C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for assessing an antibiotic activity of a test compound against metabolically active, non-growing bacteria, for screening for identification of new antibacterial agents, the method comprising steps of: (a) contacting a stationary phase bacterial culture with an antibiotic agent to select a sub-population of metabolically-active, non-growing live bacteria, wherein said sub-population is insensitive to the antibiotic agent while metabolically-active and non-growing, but sensitive to said antibiotic agent if induced to an active growth state; and (b) contacting a sample of metabolically-active, non-growing bacteria from said sub-population with a test compound that is different from the antibiotic agent and determining a number of live bacteria following the contacting, wherein a reduction in the number of live bacteria after contacting said sample with said test compound, compared to a number of live bacteria in a control sample untreated with the test compound, is indicative of said test compound having antibacterial activity against metabolically active, non-growing bacteria.