β-Lactamase inhibitor

Beta lactamases are a family of enzymes involved in bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. They act by breaking the beta-lactam ring that allows penicillin-like antibiotics to work. Strategies for combatting this form of resistance have included the development of new beta lactam antibiotics that are more resistant to cleavage, and the development of beta lactamase inhibitors. Although β-lactamase inhibitors have little antibiotic activity of their own, they prevent bacterial degradation of beta lactam antibiotics and thus extend the range of bacteria the drugs are effective against.