New antibiotic combinations to fight ventilator-associated Gram-negative pneumonia
Translational development of new agents alone and in combination to combat Gram-negative pathogens important in Ventilator- Associated Bacterial Pneumonia: Leveraging the Gram-negative toolbox that is
Testing new and combined antibiotics to better treat ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria like Acinetobacter and Klebsiella.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164488 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are developing new antibiotics and pairing existing drugs to overcome resistance in bacteria that cause pneumonia in people on ventilators. They will study how bacteria enter tolerant 'non-replicating persister' states and how mechanisms like efflux pumps, beta-lactamases, and porin changes let bacteria survive treatment. Laboratory and translational experiments will be used to design dosing combinations that kill these resistant bacteria and reduce the chance resistance emerges. Promising regimens could then move toward testing in hospitals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future trials would be hospitalized patients on mechanical ventilation with pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii or Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Not a fit: Patients with non-ventilator-associated pneumonia, infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, or infections that are not drug-resistant may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could produce new treatment regimens that clear ventilator-associated pneumonia from carbapenem-resistant bacteria and lower complications and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: There have been some successes with new antibiotics and combination therapies, but resistance and bacterial tolerance remain major challenges, so this work builds on prior approaches while targeting less-studied tolerance mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Louie, Arnold — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Louie, Arnold
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.