Resistance to available antibiotics in pathogenic bacteria is currently a global challenge since the number
of strains that are resistant to multiple types of antibiotics has increased dramatically each year and has
spread worldwide. To unlock this problem, the use of an ‘antibiotic adjuvant’ in combination with an
antibiotic is now being exploited. This approach enables us to prolong the lifespan of these life-saving
drugs. This digests review provides an overview of the main types of antibiotic adjuvants, the basis of
their operation and the remaining issues to be tackled in this field. Particular emphasis is placed on those
compounds that are already in clinical development, namely b-lactamase inhibitorsFinancial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and
Competiveness (SAF2016-75638-R), the Xunta de Galicia (Centro
singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2016-2019,
ED431G/09) and the European Union (European Regional Development
Fund – ERDF) is gratefully acknowledgedS
