Preventing the adhesion of pathogens to host cells provides an
innovative approach to tackling multidrug-resistant bacteria. In
this regard, the identification of outer membrane protein A
(OmpA) as a key bacterial virulence factor has been a major
breakthrough. The use of virtual screening helped us to identify
a cyclic hexapeptide AOA-2 that inhibits the adhesion of
Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia
coli to host cells and the formation of biofilm, thereby
preventing the development of infection in vitro and in a murine
sepsis peritoneal model. Inhibition of OmpA offers a strategy as
monotherapy to address the urgent need for treatments for
infections caused by Gram-negative bacilli