New rifamycin drugs to improve cure rates and shorten treatment for Mab lung infection
Official title: Novel rifamycins to improve cure rates and shorten treatment of M. abscessus lung disease
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11372888 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new family of rifamycin antibiotics is being developed to better treat Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease and shorten the time patients need therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | June 20, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $922,593 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI189168-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372888 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Mab-PD or those at high risk of Mab lung infection who may benefit from improved rifamycin options at trial stage.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with Mab-PD who do not respond to rifamycin-based strategies or who have contraindications to rifamycins may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on optimizing rifamycin antibiotics to overcome the intrinsic resistance of Mab in the lungs. Researchers aim to design rifabutin-like compounds that resist inactivation by the bacteria while keeping strong activity and favorable drug properties. The work builds on prior findings that Mab inactivates rifamycins through ADP-ribosylation and seeks to block this mechanism without increasing adverse effects. If successful, these new rifamycins could lead to more effective, shorter, and better-tolerated treatments for Mab-PD. The grant supports a collaborative, translational effort at Hackensack University Medical Center to move promising compounds toward clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients with Mab lung infection could achieve cure with shorter, more tolerable courses of therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that rifabutin analogs can block ADP-ribosylation and retain potency against Mab, supporting a promising path forward.
Where this research is happening
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dick, Thomas — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Dick, Thomas
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.