Oral protein medicines that act inside the gut for infections and IBD
Engineering Biologics for treatment of enteric diseases
Developing swallowed protein medicines that survive digestion to treat gut infections like C. difficile and inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11226577 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing new protein scaffolds that resist the gut's digestive enzymes so they can stay active when taken by mouth. They are also creating a delivery platform to release these proteins where infections or inflammation occur in the intestinal lumen. The team will test these approaches in the lab and in animal models to check safety and effectiveness against disease-causing bacteria and inflammation. If preclinical results are promising, the approach could move toward human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with recurrent C. difficile infection or active inflammatory bowel disease would be the likely candidates for these treatments in future trials.
Not a fit: Patients with bloodstream infections, conditions outside the gastrointestinal tract, or who cannot take oral medications may not benefit from these gut-localized biologics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could provide effective, gut-focused oral treatments with higher local drug levels and fewer systemic side effects than injected biologics.
How similar studies have performed: Some local gut therapies exist, but creating large protein drugs that survive the digestive tract is largely novel and remains at the preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
College Station, United States
- Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr — College Station, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Zhilei — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Chen, Zhilei
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 below.