Antibacterial agents comprising conjugates of glycopeptides and peptidic membrane associating elements

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
An antibacterial compound of formula V-L-W-X; wherein: V is a glycopeptide moiety which inhibits peptidoglycan biosynthesis in bacteria; L is a linking group; W is a peptidic membrane-associating element and is either a membrane binding peptide including at least one sequence (Xaa).
sub.
n, where n is from 1 to 12 and each Xaa is independently lysine or arginine, and having an overall positive charge; or a membrane-inserting peptide; X is a membrane-insertive element and is a lipophilic chain wherein the lipophilic chain is described as: having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms including those of any aromatic rings; straight or branched containing one to three branch points; saturated or unsaturated containing one to four double or triple bonds; optionally having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms (in addition to those in any aromatic rings) independently selected from the group consisting of S, O and N; optionally containing one or more aromatic rings, which may be fused and each of which may contain from 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of N, O and S; and optionally having from one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, -SH, amino and halo; and V-L- is of the formula: ##STR00006## wherein: Y and Y' are independently hydrogen or chloro; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, 4-epi-vancosaminyl, actinosaminyl, and ristosaminyl, or R is a group of the formula --R.
sup.
a-L- wherein R.
sup.
a is selected from the group consisting of 4-epi-vancosaminyl, actinosaminyl, and ristosaminyl and L is attached to the amino group of R.
sup.
a; R.
sup.
1 is hydrogen or mannose; R.
sup.
2 is selected from the group consisting of --NH.
sub.
2, --NHCH.
sub.
3, --N(CH.
sub.
3).
sub.
2, --NHL-, and --N(CH.
sub.
3)L-; R.
sup.
3 is selected from the group consisting of --CH.
sub.
2CH(CH.
sub.
3).
sub.
2, [p-OH, m-Cl]phenyl, p-rhamnose-phenyl, [p-rhamnose-galactose]phenyl, [p-galactose-galactose]phenyl, and [p-CH.
sub.
3O-rhamnose]phenyl; R