For a first feasibility evaluation in humans, we searched for approved drugs with similar molecular structure to CXQ and identified nitroxoline, an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections (UTI) (Supplementary information, Fig. S9a).44 Nitroxoline significantly increased the ion-current through human K2P18.1 channels in an oocyte expression system (Fig. 10i). This evidence concerns the gene KCNK18 and bacterial urinary tract infection.