VEI-0026

VEI-0026 is a first-in-class, non-bactericidal small-molecule inhibitor of the cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) signaling pathway, developed by Veirulence. It is designed to suppress acute virulence in Gram-negative pathogens, particularly multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. By targeting a bacterial phosphodiesterase (PDE) that regulates c-di-GMP signaling, VEI-0026 disrupts the bacterial "lifestyle switch" from a sessile state to a highly motile, virulent swarming state. In preclinical studies, VEI-0026 potently inhibited swarming motility with an IC50 of approximately 200 nM without affecting bacterial growth or exerting bactericidal pressure. Furthermore, it has been shown to act synergistically with polymyxins (such as colistin and polymyxin B), significantly reducing their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against MDR clinical isolates, thereby offering a promising anti-virulence strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance.