Core Insights - A new antibiotic, pre-methenamine C lactone, has been discovered by chemists from the University of Warwick and Monash University, showing over 100 times higher antibacterial activity against various resistant pathogens compared to the known antibiotic methenamine A [1][2] - The discovery was made during the synthesis of methenamine A, where previously untested intermediates exhibited significant antibacterial properties, particularly against MRSA and VRE [1] Group 1 - The new antibiotic demonstrates significant efficacy against MRSA, a superbug resistant to multiple common antibiotics, and VRE, which can resist the strongest antibiotic vancomycin [1] - Pre-methenamine C lactone showed no signs of resistance in enterococci during experiments, unlike vancomycin, which induced resistance under the same conditions [1] - The findings suggest that pre-methenamine C lactone could be a potential new candidate drug for combating VRE infections [1] Group 2 - Pre-methenamine C lactone is characterized by its simple structure, strong activity, low likelihood of developing resistance, and ease of synthesis, positioning it as a promising candidate for a new generation of antibiotics [2] - This discovery offers hope to the approximately 1.1 million people who lose their lives each year due to antibiotic resistance [2]