New cyclic boronate antibiotics to fight carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Official title: Novel Cyclic Boronate Cell Wall Inhibitors Targeting Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Funded at Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated · NIH-11314526 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new class of targeted antibiotic compounds is being developed to treat serious infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Malvern, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,000,000 |
| NIH project number | 6R44AI181353-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11314526 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with CRAB infections or those at high risk of such infections in hospital settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without CRAB infections or those unable to tolerate new antibiotics may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a novel cyclic boronate inhibitor that blocks key bacterial enzymes while avoiding common resistance mechanisms. The research focuses on delivering a drug that enters bacteria through porin channels and remains active despite β-lactamase enzymes. Laboratory tests show promising activity against resistant strains, and preliminary animal studies have demonstrated proof-of-concept efficacy. If successful, this work could lead to a new option for treating hard-to-treat infections in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with CRAB infections could have a new effective treatment option.
How similar studies have gone: Previous approaches in this area have faced resistance and uptake challenges, but this project shows early in vitro and in vivo promise with a novel mechanism.
Where this research is happening
-
Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated
Malvern, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Uehara, Tsuyoshi — Spring Mill Pharma Incorporated
- Study coordinator: Uehara, Tsuyoshi
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.