Lipid-enhanced vaccine to prevent Haemophilus influenzae respiratory infections
Official title: Haemophilus influenzae lipoprotein fusion vaccine and lipoprotein vaccine platform development
Funded at Rochester General Hospital (Ny) · NIH-11233278 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new vaccine that attaches fat-like molecules to bacterial proteins is being developed to help protect children and adults from nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae respiratory infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rochester General Hospital (Ny) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | November 18, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $402,655 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187168-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11233278 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People most likely to benefit would include young children prone to recurrent ear infections and adults with chronic airway conditions such as COPD or neutrophilic asthma who are at risk of NTHi infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with infections caused by other microbes or those with severe immune suppression who cannot mount vaccine responses are less likely to benefit from this vaccine approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating vaccine proteins that are chemically linked to lipid molecules and fused together into one shot to try to trigger stronger immunity in the nose and lungs. They will give these vaccine formulations to mice to see if they raise higher blood and mucosal antibodies and Th17 and tissue-resident T cell responses that protect the ear, nose and lungs. The team will compare different lipid types (diacyl vs triacyl) and test a four-part fused protein to find the most effective design. This work is preclinical in animal models but aims to guide future human vaccines against ear infections, sinusitis and lung exacerbations from NTHi.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could produce a vaccine that prevents many NTHi-related ear, sinus and lung infections and reduces COPD and asthma exacerbations tied to this bacteria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal work has shown that lipidating individual NTHi proteins can boost antibody and Th17 responses and provide protection, while the specific lipidated fusion quadrivalent vaccine in this grant is a newer, untested combination.
Where this research is happening
-
Rochester General Hospital (Ny)
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pichichero, Michael E — Rochester General Hospital (Ny)
- Study coordinator: Pichichero, Michael E
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.