An update on β-lactamase inhibitor discovery and development

Considering the clinical relevance of both β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactamase-mediated resistance, the discovery and development of combinations including a β-lactamase inhibitor seems to be particularly attractive, despite being extremely challenging due to the enormous diversity, both structurally and mechanistically, of the potential β-lactamase targets. This review will cover the evolution of currently available β-lactamase inhibitors along with the most recent research leading to new β-lactamase inhibitors of potential clinical interest or already in the stage of clinical development.