v ul an ic ▁acid ▁is ▁designed ▁to ▁over wh elm ▁all ▁ β - la ct am ase ▁en zym es , ▁and ▁effectively ▁serve ▁as ▁an ▁ant agon ist ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁am ox ic ill in ▁is ▁not ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁ β - la ct am ase ▁en zym es . ▁ ▁Other ▁ β - la ct am ase ▁in hib itors ▁such ▁as ▁bor onic ▁ac ids ▁are ▁being ▁studied ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁irre vers ibly ▁bind ▁to ▁the ▁active ▁site ▁of ▁ β - la ct am ases . ▁This ▁is ▁a ▁benefit ▁over ▁cla v ul an ic ▁acid ▁and ▁similar ▁beta - la ct am ▁compet itors , ▁because ▁they ▁cannot ▁be ▁hydro ly sed , ▁and ▁therefore ▁rendered ▁useless . ▁Ext ensive ▁research ▁is ▁currently ▁being ▁done ▁to ▁develop ▁tail ored ▁bor onic ▁ac ids ▁to ▁target ▁different ▁is oz ym es ▁of ▁beta - la ct am ases . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁all ▁cases ▁where ▁in fection ▁with ▁ β - la ct am ase - produ cing ▁b acter ia ▁is ▁sus pected , ▁the ▁choice ▁of ▁a ▁suitable ▁ β - la ct am ▁ant ib i otic ▁should ▁be ▁carefully ▁considered ▁prior ▁to ▁treatment . ▁ ▁In ▁particular , ▁choosing ▁appropriate ▁ β - la ct am ▁ant ib i otic ▁ther apy ▁is ▁of ▁ut most ▁importance ▁against ▁organ isms ▁which ▁har bor ▁some ▁level ▁of ▁ β - la ct am ase ▁expression . ▁ ▁In