Fungal CETR Projects
Project 1
PI: Terry Roemer, Ph.D.
Primary Organization/ Commercial entity: Prokaryotics
Development of a first-in-class antifungal agent to treat Candidiasis and Candidemia
Widespread azole resistance among Candida spp. along with a rise in clinical cases of multidrug resistant
(MDR) Candida auris and Candida glabrata that are resistant to azoles and echinocandins highlights the need for an entirely new class of antifungal therapeutics effective in overcoming MDR Candidemia and disseminated Candidiasis. This project will develop a mechanistically novel, intravenous-administered antifungal agent to treat life-threatening hospital associated Candidemia and Candidiasis infections caused by MDR Candida albicans and non-albicans yeast spp., including C. auris and C. glabrata.
Project 2
PI: David Perlin, Ph.D.
Primary Institution: HMH-CDI
Commercial Partner: Scynexis
A novel ‘fungerp’ targeting refractory Candida urinary tract infections
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) caused by fluconazole-resistant Candida isolates, including Candida auris and Candida glabrata, are a growing problem and pose a challenge with a lack of optimal treatments, as most current antifungals are ineffective in this disease because of their lack of ability to concentrate in urine. Our commercial partner SCYNEXIS has developed a platform of triterpenoid antifungal structures, the first-generation, IBX, was recently approved for vulvovaginal candidiasis, and the goal of this program is to develop a novel, next-generation triterpenoid compound with distinguishing features that allow it to concentrate into urine at therapeutic levels following oral administration to overcome this unmet medical need.
Project 3
PI: Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D.
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for Candida auris
Candida auris is a new fungal pathogen that is rapidly spreading in the United States. C.
auris infections are associated with high mortality and mortality and the fungus is resistant to
two of the three major classes of antifungal drugs. This application proposes to develop
immunotherapy for C. auris in the form of monoclonal antibody therapy. The development of
monoclonal antibody therapy would be a major advance against this pathogen that would
circumvent the problems of drug resistance and provide new therapeutic options for affected
patients.
Project 4
PI: David Alland , M.D.
Primary Institution: Rutgers University
Commercial Partner: Cepheid
Near patient detection of pathogenic candida species directly from blood and urine for rapid treatment response
This project will develop a highly specific, sensitive, rapid, and easy to use point of care test to rapidly detect infections from Candida including a key type of drug resistance. This research will benefit public health by increasing the speed that these infections can be detected and ensuring that the best treatments will be used.