Helper drugs to make common antibiotics work against Acinetobacter infections
Repurposing Gram-positive Antibiotics for Gram-Negative Bacteria using Antibiotic Adjuvants
This research aims to use small 'adjuvant' molecules to help macrolide antibiotics (like clarithromycin) treat multidrug‑resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Notre Dame NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Notre Dame, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143106 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are screening and testing small molecules that can be given alongside macrolide antibiotics to overcome resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii. In the lab they measure how these adjuvants lower the antibiotic concentration needed to stop bacterial growth and study how the adjuvants work at a molecular level. The team has already found compounds that reduced the clarithromycin minimum inhibitory concentration up to 512‑fold against panels of A. baumannii strains. If lab results hold up, the work would progress to animal studies and then clinical trials to see if the approach helps patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with infections caused by multidrug‑resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, especially when carbapenems or colistin are ineffective or unsafe.
Not a fit: Patients without A. baumannii infections or those infected with bacteria that are not susceptible to macrolide-plus-adjuvant combinations are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could restore the usefulness of existing, less‑toxic antibiotics against resistant A. baumannii and provide new treatment options for patients.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and early preclinical work has shown that antibiotic adjuvants can restore activity against resistant bacteria, but clinical proof in humans is limited and the approach remains experimental.
Where this research is happening
Notre Dame, United States
- University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Melander, Christian Corey — University of Notre Dame
- Study coordinator: Melander, Christian Corey
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 below.