New antifungal treatments targeting a key metabolic process in fungi
Official title: Antifungals targeting pantothenate phosphorylation
Funded at Curatix, LLC · NIH-10813742 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for new antifungal medicines that can help people with serious fungal infections by targeting a key process in how fungi grow, especially those that are hard to treat because they resist current drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Curatix, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $300,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R43AI176966-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10813742 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from invasive fungal infections, particularly those caused by resistant strains of Aspergillus or Candida.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-fungal infections or those who do not have invasive fungal infections may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new class of antifungal drugs that target a critical step in the metabolism of fungi, specifically the phosphorylation of vitamin B5 by pantothenate kinase. By disrupting this essential process, the researchers aim to create effective treatments against invasive fungal infections, which are a significant health threat due to rising drug resistance. The approach involves screening a large library of compounds to identify potential inhibitors that can effectively combat resistant strains of fungi like Aspergillus and Candida. Patients with severe fungal infections may benefit from these novel treatments if they prove effective.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of new antifungal medications that are effective against resistant fungal infections, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of targeting metabolic pathways in fungi is promising, the specific strategy being employed in this research is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in clinical settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Curatix, LLC
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choi, Jae-Yeon — Curatix, LLC
- Study coordinator: Choi, Jae-Yeon
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.