Disruptive innovation in antibiotic development: a vision for lysins

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance is escalating globally, while the development of new antibiotic classes has stagnated. This trend is reminiscent of the late-stage dynamics of S-curve innovation, where incremental advances no longer meet clinical needs. To overcome this impasse, disruptive innovation is required. As protein-based antibacterials, lysins represent a fundamentally different modality from traditional small-molecule antibiotics and offer new opportunities for disruptive innovation in terms of resistance development and microbiome preservation. AREAS COVERED: Sourced from a vast natural reservoir, lysins exhibit rapid, targeted bactericidal activity with low resistance potential and high specificity. Their narrow-spectrum nature supports a potential for microbiome preservation and the conceptual development of theranostic platforms for precision infectious disease management, combining ultra-fast pathogen detection with targeted therapeutic activity. EXPERT OPINION: To initiate new innovation cycles, disruptive modalities such as protein-based lysins will be needed, offering a paradigm shift in antimicrobial therapy. Their modular architecture and amenability to protein engineering enable a hit-to-lead development strategy akin to small-molecule pipelines. Their synergistic interactions with standard-of-care antibiotics and booster-like activity could facilitate incremental clinical integration into existing treatment protocols. This positioning supports regulatory acceptance and paves the way for lysins to become transformational components of precision antimicrobial therapy.