New all-oral treatments for Mycobacterium abscessus lung infections

Discovery of novel lead-target pairs and identification of all-oral bactericidal drug regimens for Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease

NIH-funded research Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11320895

Trying combinations of new and existing oral antibiotics to find medicines that can kill Mycobacterium abscessus in people with lung infections.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionHackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hackensack, United States)
Project IDNIH-11320895 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease, this project focuses on finding oral drug combinations that can actually kill the bacteria rather than only slowing it down. The team is building on years of antibiotic chemistry and is testing newly synthesized drug candidates and improved rifamycin-like compounds in lab and animal models. They are also looking for drug pairs that work together especially well, including oral beta-lactams combined with other antibiotics, to create effective, all-oral regimens. Successful combinations would then be the basis for future clinical testing in people.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People diagnosed with Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary infection, especially those with persistent or hard-to-treat disease or who cannot tolerate IV antibiotic regimens, would be the intended beneficiaries.

Not a fit: People without Mab lung infections or those needing immediate treatment may not benefit right away because most work described is preclinical and not yet an available therapy.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could lead to effective all-oral, bacteria-killing treatment options for people with Mab lung disease who currently have few reliable cures.

How similar studies have performed: Related preclinical work has shown promising bactericidal activity in mouse models and identified synergistic oral antibiotic combinations, but clinical success in humans for Mab remains limited.

Where this research is happening

Hackensack, 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 2026-06-13 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.