Abstract: The bacterial phosphotransferase system (PTS) as a drug target system catalyses the uptake and phosphorylation of carbohydrates. It is further involved in signal transduction, e.g. catabolite repression, chemotaxis, and allosteric regulation of metabolic enzymes and transporters. It is ubiquitous in bacteria but does not occur in eukaryotes. This uniqueness and the pleiotropic function make the PTS a target for the development of new antimicrobials. Assays are described that lead to the discovery of compounds which uncouple the PTS, by acting as protein histidine/cysteine phosphatases. Uncoupling of the PTS leads to inhibition of carbohydrate transport, repression of catabolite controlled genes (e.g. certain virulence genes) and depletion of phosphoenolpyruvate. Compounds from combinatorial libraries with high affinity for phosphoenolpyruvate-protein-phosphatase (Enzyme 1) serve as lead structures for the development of inhibitors and uncouplers of the PTS.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel hydrazone derivatives and their use as active ingredients in the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions. The invention also concerns related aspects including processes for the preparation of the compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing one or more of those compounds and especially their use as anti-infectives.