Licochalcone A (LicA) is a flavonoid isolated from the famous Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer. However, its pharmacological mechanism is not well defined. The anti-Inflammatory effects of LicA on IL-1β-Stimulated human osteoarthritis chondrocytes was reached by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway. LicA showed anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in breast cancer cells through regulating Sp1 and apoptosis-related proteins in a dose- and a time-dependent manner. In addition, the chemotherapeutic potential of LicA for treatment of human cervical cancer was achieved by inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.

Gepotidacin (formerly GSK2140944) is a novel, first-in-class, triazaacenaphthylene antibacterial that selectively inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV by a unique mechanism, one that is not utilized by any currently approved human therapeutic agent. As a consequence of its novel mode of action, gepotidacin is active in vitro against target pathogens carrying resistance determinants to established antibacterials, including fluoroquinolones. Gepotidacin has demonstrated in vitro activity against key pathogens, including drug-resistant strains, associated with a range of conventional and biothreat infections. GlaxoSmithKline is developing Gepotidacin for the treatment of gonorrhoea and skin and soft tissue infections.

Acorafloxacin (JNJ-Q2) is a fluoroquinolone that was developed by Furiex Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Forest Laboratories) for the treatment of complicated skin and and soft tissue infections. Acorafloxacin was originally developed by Janssen, then licensed to Furiex Pharmaceuticals (now a part of Actavis). JNJ-Q2 has excellent in vitro and in vivo activity against a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. In vitro studies indicate that JNJ-Q2 has potent activity against pathogens responsible for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. JNJ-Q2 also has been shown to have a higher barrier to resistance compared to other agents in the class and it remains highly active against drug-resistant organisms, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ciprofloxacin-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and drug-resistant S. pneumoniae. In two Phase II studies, the efficacy of JNJ-Q2 was comparable to linezolid for ABSSSI and moxifloxacin for CABP. Furthermore, JNJ-Q2 was well tolerated, with adverse event rates similar to or less than other fluoroquinolones. Acorafloxacin inhibits MuRF enzyme, required for cell wall synthesis. Acorafloxacin directly inhibits bacterial DNA synthesis by halting the activity of DNA gyrase (responsible for negative helical supercoiling) and DNA topoisomerase IV (responsible for separating the nucleotide strands). Fast track designation and qualified infectious disease product designation (QIDP) was granted by FDA for the treatment of bacterial infections in 2013.

Brilacidin (formerly PMX-30063) is a polymer-based antibiotic and an investigational new drug, that was studied in human clinical trials, and represents a new class of antibiotics called host defense protein mimetics. Brilacidin is an antibiotic that works by disrupting bacterial cell membranes, mimicking defensins that play a role in innate immunity. Brilacidin has shown great efficacy in phase II clinical trials against acute Staphylococcus aureus skin and skin structure infections, comparable to that of the lipopeptidic drug daptomycin, which is currently used clinically to treat drug-resistant staph infections. Brilacidin also has potent broad-spectrum activity in vitro against several other Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, including several multidrug-resistant strains.

Razupenem (also known as PZ-601 or PTZ601) is an anti-MRSA carbapenem antibiotic. It is active against Enterobacteriaceae and Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant staphylococci and enterococci, and was investigated as potential alternative drug (replacing common antibiotics) against resistant bacteria. In healthy male volunteers, razupenem did not cause serious adverse events. The potential effect and safety of razupenem has been evaluated in a phase II clinical trial studying skin infection.

Levonadifloxacin is the S-(-) isomer of the benzoquinolizine fluoroquinolone nadifloxacin and is two- to four-fold more active than the racemic mixture. Levonadifloxacin is a potent antibacterial agent against Gram-positive bacteria especially against methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus. It also possesses potent bactericidal activity against other resistant variants like quinolone-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin and glycopeptide intermediate Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Intravenous dosage form developed to treat complicated skin and skin structure infections and has recently completed Phase III studies in India and Phase I studies in USA.

LASCUFLOXACIN, a fluoroquinolone derivative, is an antibacterial agent with a broad spectrum of activity against various clinical isolates. It is under development for the treatment of respiratory tract infections and community-acquired pneumonia.

Radezolid (RX-1741) is a novel oxazolidinone antibiotic agent and is the first biaryloxazolidinone in clinical development. It is being developed by Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for the treatment of serious multi-drug–resistant infections. Radezolid has completed two phase-II clinical trialsfor the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia; uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections. The mechanism of action for this drug seems to be an inhibition of 50S ribosomal subunit.

Eperezolid is an antibiotic agent developed for the treatment of a wide range of bacterial infections. The drug exerts its action by binding to 50 S ribosome subunit causing the inhibition of protein synthesis in bacterias. Eperezolid was tested in preclinical in vivo models of different becterial diseases in which it was shown to be active.

Tomopenem (formerly CS-023) is a 1β-methylcarbapenem with improved activity against diverse hospital pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and has a half-life about twice longer than the half-lives of other carbapenems such as imipenem (IPM) and meropenem (MEM). In vitro activity of tomopenem is comparable to that of IPM against most isolates of Gram-positive pathogens and similar to that of MEM against Gram-negative pathogens. Furthermore, tomopenem displayed improved activity against not only P. aeruginosa but also MRSA compared to IPM and MEM. In addition to the improved activity, tomopenem showed a half-life about twice longer than that of IPM or MEM in humans. The affinity of tomopenem for penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2a might be higher than that of IPM. Tomopenem had been in phase II clinical trial for the treatment of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infection. However, this development was discontinued.