A Probiotic to Prevent Kidney Stones
Official title: Oxalate Biodegrading Probiotic for Kidney Stone Prevention
Funded at Unlocked Labs INC. · NIH-11170575 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a new probiotic to help people prevent kidney stones by breaking down a key substance called oxalic acid.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Unlocked Labs INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Laramie, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $907,860 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DK133067-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170575 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who frequently form calcium oxalate kidney stones and struggle with current prevention methods might be ideal candidates for future studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose kidney stones are not primarily caused by calcium oxalate or high oxalic acid levels may not receive benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Kidney stones, especially those made of calcium oxalate, are often caused by too much oxalic acid in the urine. Current ways to prevent these stones, like changing your diet or drinking more fluids, are hard to stick with, and other medicines can have unwanted side effects. This project is creating a new probiotic that works by breaking down oxalic acid in your gut before it can be absorbed into your body. The goal is to lower the amount of oxalic acid in your urine, offering a safer and easier way to prevent kidney stones.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this probiotic could offer a new, safe, and easy way to prevent recurrent kidney stones, reducing the need for strict diets or medications with side effects.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds on a successful Phase I, indicating promising initial results for this novel probiotic approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Unlocked Labs INC.
Laramie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Geisler, Christoph — Unlocked Labs INC.
- Study coordinator: Geisler, Christoph
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Uromodulin and peptides as new targets in kidney stone biology
This NIH grant explores how a urine protein called uromodulin and its peptide pieces influence calcium oxalate kidney stones, using dogs and human biology to understand why stones form and how to prevent them.
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Oxalate‑eating probiotic to help prevent kidney stones
A new probiotic strain is being developed to help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones by breaking down oxalic acid in the gut.
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Oxalate and your immune system in kidney stones
This grant looks at how oxalate in our diet affects kidney stone risk and our immune cells, especially in adults with calcium oxalate stones.
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How the kidney channel claudin‑2 affects calcium balance and calcium kidney stones
This project looks at how a kidney channel called claudin‑2 helps keep calcium from building up and forming calcium kidney stones.
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Oxalate balance in people with calcium oxalate kidney stones
This project will find out why some adults make or absorb extra oxalate that increases the chance of calcium oxalate kidney stones.
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Understanding how oxalate affects kidney stone formation and immune response
This study is looking at how eating foods high in oxalate might lead to kidney stones and how it affects kidney health, so if you've had kidney stones before, this research could help find ways to prevent them from coming back.
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.