An orally available, acid-stable diamine antibiotic, with potential antimicrobial activity against a variety of bacteria including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). As an ethambutol analogue with asymmetric structure, SQ109 does not act on the same target as ethambutol. However, this agent interferes with cell wall synthesis, thereby causing weakening of the cell wall and ultimately cell lysis.