Creating a new vaccine adjuvant to improve Lyme disease vaccines
Official title: DEVELOPMENT OF COVALENTLY BOUND HYALURONIC ACID AS AN ADJUVANT FOR MULTIVALENT LYME DISEASE VACCINE
Funded at Design-Zyme, LLC · NIH-11203936 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way to make Lyme disease vaccines work better by using a special ingredient that helps boost the immune response, so people can have stronger protection against Lyme disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Design-Zyme, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lawrence, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | September 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $2,999,999 |
| NIH project number | 75N93024C00016-0-9999-1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11203936 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals at risk of Lyme disease, particularly those living in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have already been vaccinated against Lyme disease or those who do not live in Lyme disease-endemic areas may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new vaccine adjuvant made from covalently bound hyaluronic acid to enhance the effectiveness of Lyme disease vaccines. The approach involves using the OspC antigen from the Borrelia bacteria, which causes Lyme disease, to create a more robust immune response. By improving the vaccine's ability to stimulate the immune system, this research aims to provide better protection against Lyme disease. Patients may benefit from a more effective vaccine that could lead to fewer cases of Lyme disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a more effective Lyme disease vaccine, reducing the incidence of the disease.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using adjuvants to enhance vaccine efficacy, suggesting that this approach could be beneficial.
Where this research is happening
-
Design-Zyme, LLC
Lawrence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Petillo, Peter a — Design-Zyme, LLC
- Study coordinator: Petillo, Peter a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding why some people have ongoing symptoms after Lyme disease
A long-term study follows people diagnosed with acute Lyme disease to see who develops persistent symptoms and why, with care from a team of Lyme experts.
-
CSF Protein Map in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease
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-
Lyme disease vaccine research aimed at preventing infection
Researchers are developing a Lyme disease vaccine by studying how the immune system responds to Borrelia burgdorferi and testing vaccine approaches to prevent illness.
-
Lyme disease brain health: tracking brain signals and blood clues after treatment
This study follows people with early Lyme disease and compares them to healthy volunteers to see how the brain and blood markers change over a year after starting antibiotics.
-
Lyme disease symptoms lingering after treatment may be driven by special bacterial fragments
A human-friendly look at a study exploring why some Lyme patients keep symptoms after antibiotics and whether tiny fragments from the bacteria are to blame.
-
Understanding Lyme disease immune signals to predict recovery after antibiotics
A research project at MIT aims to find immune biomarkers that tell which Lyme patients will recover after standard antibiotics and who might have lasting symptoms.
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.