IV gallium nitrate for cystic fibrosis patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria

A Phase 1b, Multi-center Study of IV Gallium Nitrate in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis who are colonized with Nontuberculosis Mycobacterium (The ABATE Study).

NIH-funded research Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-10891337

This project gives intravenous gallium nitrate to people with cystic fibrosis who have nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections to try to disrupt the bacteria's iron use and help clear the infection.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSeattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-10891337 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have cystic fibrosis and are colonized or infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), this multi-center Phase 1b study would give scheduled IV infusions of gallium nitrate and closely monitor you. Gallium mimics iron and can be taken up by bacteria but then blocks iron-dependent processes the microbes need to grow. Doctors will take regular sputum cultures, lung function tests, and safety labs to watch for infection response and treatment side effects. The study is early-phase, so the focus is on safety, dosing, and signals that the drug helps reduce bacterial burden.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with cystic fibrosis who are colonized or infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria (such as Mycobacterium avium complex or M. abscessus complex) are the intended participants.

Not a fit: People without CF or without NTM lung infection, those with infections caused by organisms not affected by gallium, or those unable to receive IV infusions are unlikely to benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new treatment that helps clear NTM infections in people with CF and may reduce reliance on long, toxic antibiotic regimens.

How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies and early human work have shown antimicrobial activity of gallium against some lung bacteria, but using IV gallium specifically for NTM in CF remains an early and relatively novel approach.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.