Oral oxaborole MRX-5 exhibits efficacy against pulmonary <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> in mouse

<i>Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab</i>) is an opportunistic pathogen common in patients with lung comorbidities and immunosuppression. There are no FDA-approved treatments, and current treatment has a failure rate exceeding 50%. The intravenous oxaborole MRX-6038 is active against <i>Mab</i>. This study evaluated MRX-5, the oral prodrug, against five <i>Mab</i> isolates in a mouse lung infection model. MRX-5 showed dose-dependent efficacy, with 15 and 45 mg/kg doses comparable to the standard of care, supporting progression to clinical trial.