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William J Cunliffe

Keith T Holland

Elizabeth A Eady

The invention relates to an antibiotic polypeptide compound, or addition salt thereof, having a molecular weight no greater than 10000 and possessing bactericidal and bacteriolytic activities in respect of Gram-positive bacteria, the said compound comprising within the molecular structure thereof amino acid derivative units of formulae --NR--R.sub.1 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.2 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.3 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.4 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.5 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.6 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.7 --CO-- and ##STR1## wherein NH.sub.2 --R.sub.1 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.2 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.3 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.4 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.5 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.6 --COOH and NH.sub.2 --R.sub.7 --COOH respectively represent isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and glycine and ##STR2## represents proline. The invention further provides a process for the preparation of antibiotic polypeptides by the aerobic culturing of a strain of S. epidermidis. The invention also provides compositions comprising antibiotic substances and methods of treatment therewith. The invention further provides a new strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis which produces the antibiotic polypeptides, compositions containing the said strain and a method of cosmetic or prophylactic treatment of the human skin with such compositions.

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Bramhope, Nr. Leeds, United Kingdom

William J Cunliffe