A new peptide treatment for drug-resistant Gram-negative infections
Official title: Host Directed Orynotide for MDR Gram Negative Bacterial Infections
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11124824 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lab-developed peptide called MTD12813 is being advanced as a potential treatment for people with dangerous multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 21, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,023,350 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI176543-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124824 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future trials would be people with serious infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or other multidrug‑resistant Gram‑negative bacteria, especially bloodstream or hospital-acquired infections.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild, easily treatable infections, non-bacterial illnesses, or infections caused by bacteria that remain susceptible to standard antibiotics would be unlikely to benefit from this experimental approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a macrocyclic peptide, Orynotide MTD12813, that works by boosting host defenses against multidrug-resistant Gram‑negative bacteria. The team is conducting preclinical work including laboratory tests, animal infection models, and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) studies to pick the best candidate and dosing approaches. The compound is bioinspired by theta-defensins and has shown activity in animal models of severe bloodstream infection. This project focuses first on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae but aims to address other MDR Gram‑negative pathogens as development proceeds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could become a new treatment option for infections that no longer respond to existing antibiotics and could reduce serious illness and deaths from MDR Gram‑negative bacteria.
How similar studies have gone: Related host-defense peptides have shown promise in laboratory and animal studies but have not yet become widely used treatments in humans, so translation to patients remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schaal, Justin Blaine — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Schaal, Justin Blaine
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.