Sahachiro Hata (1873-1938) and his contributions to the birth of antimicrobial chemotherapy

Abstract

Sahachiro Hata was a Japanese collaborator who helped Paul Ehrlich in his quest to develop a drug treatment for syphilis as a ‘magic bullet’ that specifically targets the pathogen without affecting normal host cells. Before the 1900s, syphilis was feared worldwide as a chronic contagious disease that caused major sequelae, including death. Under Ehrlich's direction, Hata screened all known synthetic arsenic derivatives for antisyphilitic properties and found ‘compound 606’ effective against syphilis. ‘Compound 606’ was the first-line drug for syphilis until the advent of penicillin. Their work marked the dawn of modern antimicrobial chemotherapy and served as a guidepost for the subsequent development of antimicrobials. This article provides a short overview of Sahachiro Hata's life and career from the perspective of his major contributions to the birth of antimicrobial chemotherapy. This article is dedicated to the achievements of Sahachiro Hata in honor of the 150th anniversary of his birth (March 23, 2023).