Over five million euros for innovative therapy against hospital pathogen
"GO-Bio next" funding for Cologne research team
The Cologne-based research project "INNOPAK", which focuses on developing innovative precision antibodies against infections with antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa-bacteria, will receive support in the first funding round of the new "GO-Bio next" program from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The ministry is providing €5.37 million for the first funding phase, in which research teams are supported in setting up companies. With additional funding already secured, the project's total funding exceeds €8.5 million—a significant success for translational infection research in the “Clinical Infectiology” focus area at the University Hospital of Cologne, headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. Jan Rybniker. The German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) is supporting the project with €1.8 million.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest medical challenges of our time. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens are increasingly leading to severe disease progression, long hospital stays, and rising mortality rates. The need for innovative therapeutic approaches is particularly evident in immunocompromised patients or those with pre-existing conditions. Antibody-based therapeutics offer a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics. These therapeutics specifically target bacterial disease mechanisms without damaging the natural microbiota, are highly specific, remain in the bloodstream for a long time, and have few side effects. These properties make them ideal for both acute therapy and preventive use in high-risk patients.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant pathogen with widespread antibiotic resistance. The bacterium causes difficult-to-treat pneumonia and bloodstream infections in hospitalized patients and can cause long-lasting infections in chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, significantly impairing lung function and quality of life.
To meet this medical challenge, the team led by Prof. Rybniker and Dr. Alexander Simonis is developing fully human precision antibodies that specifically neutralize the so-called type III secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS kills human immune cells, but when blocked by antibodies, the pathogen's disease-causing effects are greatly reduced. The planned use of these antibodies follows the anti-virulence therapy concept, which aims to inhibit a pathogen's pathogenic effects. This approach is independent of classic antibiotic resistance mechanisms and could provide a much-needed therapeutic alternative, particularly for infections involving antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Funding from the “GO-Bio next” program will enable the production of the antibody in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines and the preparation of a Phase I clinical trial. This will significantly advance the development of novel, antibiotic-independent therapeutics against resistant bacterial hospital pathogens.
The research project is being supported by the DZIF as part of the DZIF project “PANTIPA—Preclinical development of patient-derived monoclonal antibodies targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa”.
Source: Press release of the University Hospital Cologne (in German)
