Helping lungs heal after tuberculosis by clearing infected cells
Official title: Pro-apoptotic Drugs as Host-Directed Treatments for Pulmonary Tuberculosis”
Funded at Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr · NIH-11452554 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a cancer drug that helps infected cells die alongside antibiotics to help people with lung tuberculosis recover faster and reduce long-term lung damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project start | February 24, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $809,900 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI190038-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11452554 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with active pulmonary tuberculosis, especially those at risk for severe lung tissue damage or post-TB lung disease, would be the ideal candidates for future clinical testing.
✕Less likely to help
People with extrapulmonary TB or those who have medical contraindications to Bcl-2 inhibitors (the drug class including navitoclax) may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project uses a drug called navitoclax, which encourages infected cells to undergo programmed cell death, together with standard TB antibiotics to try to improve bacterial clearance and limit lung destruction. Researchers will study effects in laboratory and animal models and examine lung tissue for necrosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and bacterial burden. They will also track changes in immune cells and tissue remodeling to understand how the drug alters the lung environment. The goal is to find a treatment that could shorten antibiotic courses and lower the risk of chronic breathing problems after TB.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shorten TB treatment and reduce long-term lung scarring and breathing problems for people who survive pulmonary TB.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies reported by the team showed improved bacterial elimination and less lung damage with navitoclax, and the drug has safety data from cancer trials, but applying it as a host-directed TB therapy is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
Cincinnati, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jain, Sanjay K — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Jain, Sanjay K
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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.