The article discusses the increasing resistance of gram-negative bacteria to antibiotics, particularly quinolones and broad-spectrum β-lactams. It highlights the emergence and spread of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), a type of enzyme that can hydrolyze almost all classes of β-lactam antibiotics, making them highly resistant to carbapenems. MBLs are divided into two main types: serine β-lactamases and MBLs, with the latter requiring divalent cations, typically zinc, for activity. The article reviews the classification, genetic apparatus, and biochemical characteristics of MBLs, focusing on chromosomally encoded and transferable MBLs from *Pseudomonas*, *Acinetobacter*, and *Enterobacteriaceae* species. It also discusses the epidemiology, detection methods, and experimental inhibitors of MBLs, emphasizing the challenges in developing effective inhibitors due to the diverse active site architectures of these enzymes. The spread of MBLs, particularly IMP and VIM types, is detailed, with reports from various countries, and the potential clinical catastrophe if therapeutic inhibitors are not developed.The article discusses the increasing resistance of gram-negative bacteria to antibiotics, particularly quinolones and broad-spectrum β-lactams. It highlights the emergence and spread of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), a type of enzyme that can hydrolyze almost all classes of β-lactam antibiotics, making them highly resistant to carbapenems. MBLs are divided into two main types: serine β-lactamases and MBLs, with the latter requiring divalent cations, typically zinc, for activity. The article reviews the classification, genetic apparatus, and biochemical characteristics of MBLs, focusing on chromosomally encoded and transferable MBLs from *Pseudomonas*, *Acinetobacter*, and *Enterobacteriaceae* species. It also discusses the epidemiology, detection methods, and experimental inhibitors of MBLs, emphasizing the challenges in developing effective inhibitors due to the diverse active site architectures of these enzymes. The spread of MBLs, particularly IMP and VIM types, is detailed, with reports from various countries, and the potential clinical catastrophe if therapeutic inhibitors are not developed.