New treatment approach for bullous pemphigoid (BP) in older adults
Official title: Severe Autoantibody-Mediated Autoimmune Disease: A New Treatment Approach
Funded at Astero Erado INC · NIH-11311549 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new therapy for bullous pemphigoid, a painful skin disease mainly affecting seniors, is being developed to reduce blisters and improve quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Astero Erado INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $306,449 |
| NIH project number | 1R43AI197270-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311549 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid who may have limited tolerance for standard immunosuppressive therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with BP who have conditions or circumstances making participation unsafe or ineffective, such as severe comorbidities precluding trial participation, may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant aims to create a novel therapy for bullous pemphigoid, a condition where immune antibodies attack skin junctions and cause blisters. The work focuses on an elderly population, many of whom have other health issues, and seeks to offer options with fewer side effects than broad immunosuppressants. Researchers will test approaches that target disease-causing antibodies and their pathways, with safety and tolerability in mind. By developing a more targeted treatment, the project hopes to lessen mortality and improve daily living for patients living with BP.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with bullous pemphigoid could experience fewer flares and reduced reliance on harsh medications.
How similar studies have gone: There is a clinical need for more targeted therapies in BP; this project follows prior work showing the disease is driven by specific antibodies, with potential for translating to new treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Astero Erado INC
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kannanganat Sidharthan, Sunil — Astero Erado INC
- Study coordinator: Kannanganat Sidharthan, Sunil
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.