Optimizing rifamycins to treat non-tuberculous lung infections
Official title: Optimization of rifamycins to overcome intrinsic resistance of nontuberculous mycobacteria to improve treatment of NTM lung disease
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11336406 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to make rifamycin antibiotics work better against non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) that cause lung disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | June 6, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $838,280 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI177342-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336406 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with NTM lung disease or those at risk due to pre-existing lung conditions or compromised immunity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without NTM lung infection or without eligible disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project focuses on overcoming the natural resistance of NTMs like Mycobacterium abscessus and Mycobacterium avium complex to rifamycins so that treatments for NTM lung disease can be more effective. Using laboratory studies and drug-testing approaches, the researchers want to identify rifamycin strategies that improve bacterial kill and patient outcomes. The work addresses gaps where current regimens are long, complex, and not reliably curative for many patients with NTM infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with NTM lung disease could experience shorter, more effective therapies with fewer treatment failures.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows intrinsic resistance limits rifamycin activity against most NTMs, making this an important and timely area to test improved strategies.
Where this research is happening
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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.