Oral DHFR inhibitor to fight drug-resistant gonorrhea
Official title: Lead optimization of oral DHFR inhibitor for the treatment of multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae infections.
Funded at Taxis Pharmaceuticals, INC. · NIH-11331288 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, fast-moving funding program aims to develop an oral antibiotic that targets drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and could help people who currently have few treatment options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Taxis Pharmaceuticals, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Monmouth Junction, United States) |
| Project start | May 16, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,000,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI191886-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11331288 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections who need alternative oral therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with gonorrhea caused by drug-susceptible strains that respond to existing therapies may not gain additional benefit.
What this research studies
This SBIR Phase 2 grant supports creating a narrow-spectrum, oral therapy that blocks bacterial dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) in drug-resistant gonorrhea. The approach focuses on lead compounds with strong oral bioavailability and selective activity against Ng, while showing a favorable safety and PK profile in early studies. The project emphasizes potency against MDR Ng clinical isolates and potential to overcome resistance to current first-line drugs, offering a path toward new patient-accessible treatments. If successful, this work could provide an important option for people facing treatment failures due to resistant gonorrhea.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with drug-resistant gonorrhea could have a new oral treatment option.
How similar studies have gone: Previous antimicrobial development efforts show that DHFR-targeting compounds can be potent; this program aims to translate that potential into an oral therapy for Ng.
Where this research is happening
-
Taxis Pharmaceuticals, INC.
Monmouth Junction, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parhi, Ajit K — Taxis Pharmaceuticals, INC.
- Study coordinator: Parhi, Ajit K
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.