High-affinity antibodies against bacterial surface sugars to combat deadly infections
Official title: Multidimensional development of high-affinity anti-glycan antibodies to fight deadly bacterial infections
Funded at Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11324961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-facing opportunity to explore new antibody-based therapies that target tough, antibiotic-resistant bacteria by recognizing their surface sugars.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 9, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,961,391 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI172525-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with or at high risk for life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections where antibody therapies could be used in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not dealing with bacterial infections or those unlikely to receive antibody-based treatments in the near term may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on creating antibodies and vaccines that target the sugars on dangerous bacteria. Researchers will chemically modify bacterial glycans and present them on artificial platforms to trigger a strong immune response. The project brings together chemistry, immunology, bacteriology, and structural biology to understand what makes an antibody effective and how to move it toward pre-clinical testing. If successful, these antibodies could complement antibiotics and offer new ways to treat severe infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could gain new antibody-based therapies that help fight antibiotic-resistant infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous proofs of principle show that high-affinity antibodies against bacterial surface glycans can combat infectious challenges, supporting potential for future therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Research Institute, the
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Teyton, Luc — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Teyton, Luc
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Host-Directed Orynotide for MDR Gram-Negative Infections
A new drug candidate called Orynotide MTD12813 is being developed to treat serious drug-resistant infections caused by bacteria like Acinetobacter and Enterobacteriaceae.
-
Genomic-informed, low-cost, portable test to rapidly identify drug-resistant bacterial infections
A portable, affordable test called BADLOCK could quickly identify bacteria and resistance genes from blood samples to help treat drug-resistant infections.
-
Novel BMX antibiotics for tough Gram-negative infections
A new class of BMX antibiotics is being developed to fight hard-to-treat Gram-negative infections like Acinetobacter baumannii in patients.
-
Center to speed up antibacterial drugs for hard-to-treat infections
A national center at Hackensack University Medical Center aims to speed up the development of new antibiotics to fight high-threat, drug-resistant bacterial infections.
-
Center accelerating antibiotic development for high-threat bacterial infections
A research center in academia–industry collaboration is speeding up the development of new antibiotics to fight highly resistant bacteria so patients have better treatment options.
-
PACC1 in the body’s defense against bacterial infections and sepsis
A study exploring how a protein called PACC1 helps immune cells fight bacteria and prevent sepsis, with potential benefits for people at risk of severe infections.
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.