LpxH‑blocking antibiotics to treat drug‑resistant Enterobacterales infections
LpxH Inhibitors as Novel Therapeutics Against Multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales
This project is developing new drugs that block a bacterial enzyme called LpxH to help people with serious infections from drug‑resistant Enterobacterales like ESBL and CRE.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325394 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, the team is designing and making small molecules that stop LpxH, an enzyme bacteria need to build their outer membrane. They are optimizing these compounds so they behave like good medicines and checking activity against troublesome Gram‑negative bugs such as Klebsiella and other Enterobacterales. Early work showed an LpxH inhibitor could save mice with deadly Klebsiella infections, and the researchers plan further testing to find lead compounds suitable for safety and clinical studies. If those steps go well, the drugs could move toward human trials at clinical centers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with infections caused by extended‑spectrum β‑lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacterales or carbapenem‑resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), or those at high risk for such infections, would be the ideal candidates for future trials.
Not a fit: Patients with infections caused by Gram‑positive bacteria, viruses, or fungi, or those whose infections respond well to existing antibiotics, are unlikely to benefit from these LpxH‑targeted drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce a new class of antibiotics effective against multidrug‑resistant Gram‑negative infections that currently have very limited treatment options.
How similar studies have performed: Antibiotics that target other bacterial enzymes have succeeded clinically, and the team has shown proof‑of‑concept in mice, but LpxH inhibitors are still early and have not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Pei — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Pei
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.