Inhalable treatment platform for coronavirus lung infections
Inhalation Therapy Platform for Coronavirus Infection Treatment
An inhaled drug-delivery system aims to bring antiviral and anti-inflammatory medicines directly into the lungs of people with COVID-19 or future coronavirus infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11163449 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing an inhaled therapy you could use at home or early after infection to deliver medicines directly to the lungs using a nebulizer or other inhalation device. The approach attaches drugs to a polymer “drugamer” to concentrate and extend drug activity in lung cells such as alveolar macrophages. The team will test the platform in laboratory studies and animal models and adapt it for devices that can be widely distributed. The goal is a flexible multi-drug system that could reduce severe lung disease and lower the need for hospital-based treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people recently infected with or exposed to a coronavirus who could use an inhaled therapy before needing hospitalization.
Not a fit: People with unrelated medical conditions, those already requiring mechanical ventilation, or individuals unable to use inhaled devices or with allergies to the therapy components may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide earlier, lung-targeted treatment that reduces severe COVID-19, hospital visits, and exposure risk for caregivers and underserved communities.
How similar studies have performed: Polymer-linked drug approaches have shown promise in preclinical bacterial lung infection models, but inhaled multi-drug platforms specifically for coronaviruses remain largely novel and need further testing.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stayton, Patrick S. — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Stayton, Patrick S.
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.