New antibiotic approach to fight resistant gut bacteria (β-lactamase producing CRE)
Official title: Novel cyclic boronate Penicillin Binding Protein Inhibitors to eliminate the threat posed by β-lactamases and enable a future treatment option for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales infections
Funded at Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated · NIH-11516145 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new class of compounds that blocks bacterial enzymes and allows treating infections caused by highly resistant Enterobacterales.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Malvern, United States) |
| Project start | May 4, 2021 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,103,779 |
| NIH project number | 6R01AI160269-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11516145 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with or at risk for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and related β-lactamase producing bacteria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-resistant infections or non-bacterial conditions may not benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop a promising, new class of cyclic boronates that block essential bacterial enzymes (PBPs) to overcome resistance from β-lactamases. By focusing on highly selective inhibitors, the research seeks to restore the effectiveness of treatments against carbapenem-resistant infections. It involves laboratory studies and preclinical testing to show the compound can kill resistant bacteria without being neutralized by existing resistance mechanisms. If successful, this work could lead to a future therapy option for patients with difficult-to-treat infections. It is designed to progress toward clinical evaluation of the most promising compound, VNRX-6736.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with carbapenem-resistant infections could have a new treatment option.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical activity has shown promising results for this novel class, but human clinical data are not yet available.
Where this research is happening
-
Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated
Malvern, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boyd, Steven Armen — Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated
- Study coordinator: Boyd, Steven Armen
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.