Capsule-based vaccine to prevent Klebsiella infections
Official title: A capsule-based bioconjugate vaccine to prevent Klebsiella pneumoniae infections
Funded at Vaxnewmo, LLC · NIH-11249769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a vaccine to help protect people from Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, including antibiotic-resistant strains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vaxnewmo, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,000,000 |
| NIH project number | 2R44AI167078-03A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249769 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at higher risk for Klebsiella infection—such as hospitalized patients, older adults, and young children—would be the likely candidates for future vaccine trials.
✕Less likely to help
People with an active Klebsiella infection, known allergies to vaccine components, or severe immune suppression may not benefit from or be eligible for the vaccine.
What this research studies
Researchers are using a biological 'bioconjugation' method to attach bacterial capsule sugars to carrier proteins to make a multivalent vaccine that targets the capsule types found on most Klebsiella strains. This approach aims to replace complex chemical linking with a more consistent prokaryotic glycosylation process to simplify manufacturing. The team is testing the vaccine in laboratory and animal models to show it prevents disease and to advance manufacturing toward clinical-grade production. If those steps succeed, the vaccine would move toward human testing and broader use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the vaccine could prevent serious and antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella infections, reducing hospital stays and deaths.
How similar studies have gone: Conjugate vaccines targeting bacterial capsule sugars have successfully prevented other bacterial diseases, and early lab and animal data suggest this strategy can protect against Klebsiella, though no licensed Klebsiella vaccine exists yet.
Where this research is happening
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Vaxnewmo, LLC
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harding, Christian — Vaxnewmo, LLC
- Study coordinator: Harding, Christian
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.