Atypical carbapenem antibiotics for hard-to-treat mycobacterial infections
Official title: Optimization of Atypical Antimycobacterial Carbapenem Antibiotics
Funded at Southern Methodist University · NIH-11134654 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are creating and testing new carbapenem antibiotics to better treat tuberculosis and other difficult mycobacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Southern Methodist University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | July 19, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $681,269 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI174599-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134654 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with active or drug-resistant tuberculosis or difficult-to-treat nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections would be the most relevant candidates for future clinical testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with infections not caused by mycobacteria or those needing immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit from this early-stage laboratory work.
What this research studies
The team is designing and making carbapenem antibiotics with unusual structural changes that differ from existing drugs. They will test these compounds in the lab against mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis and nontuberculous lung infections to see which molecules kill the bacteria best. The work also looks at whether the new molecules resist bacterial defenses like beta-lactamases and efflux pumps and whether they have properties that could make them work well in the body. Promising candidates would be advanced toward studies needed before any human trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to stronger antibiotics that work against drug-resistant tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial infections and may shorten or improve treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Related modified carbapenem approaches have shown promise against some Gram-negative bacteria in prior work, but applying these atypical designs to mycobacterial infections is relatively new and not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buynak, John D — Southern Methodist University
- Study coordinator: Buynak, John D
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.