Toronto, Dec 23 - Drugs that checkmate cancer could also combat pathogens that have become highly resistant to antibiotics - a problem spreading globally.

"Our study found that certain proteins, called kinases, that confer antibiotic resistance are structurally related to proteins important in cancer," says Gerry Wright, professor of biochemistry at McMaster University.

"The pharmaceutical sector has made a big investment in targeting these proteins, so there are a lot of compounds and drugs out there that, although they were designed to overcome cancer... and maybe repurposed to address the problem of antibiotic resistance."

The large-scale study involved screening 14 antibiotic resistant molecules against 80 chemically diverse protein kinase inhibitors, the journal Chemistry & Biology reports.

"As a result, new drugs and antibiotic strategies are urgently needed to fill the gap in infectious disease control," says Wright, according to a university statement.(IANS)