# Multidimensional development of high-affinity anti-glycan antibodies to fight deadly bacterial infections

> **NIH NIH P01** · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · 2023 · $2,024,997

## Abstract

Abstract
The development of immunotherapies focused on the surface glycans of bacteria is hypothesized to be a
potential paradigm shift in the fight against life-threatening and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, an emerging and
increasing health concern for which therapeutic options are limited. Our PO1 team will use chemistry to
deconstruct and display bacterial glycan structures on an artificial platform to make them immunogenic and
recognized by the immune system. Immune responses will be analyzed and dissected by bacteriologists, cellular
and structural immunologists to determine the characteristics of what makes a vaccine or an antibody against
glycans effective as an antibiotic and deployable in pre-clinical studies. This program that assembles some of
the world experts in their respective fields is ambitious and intends to pioneer the effort of placing immunotherapy
next to chemotherapy for the treatment of bacterial infections. Our unique combination of chemistry-immunology-
bacteriology-structural biology will provide the necessary mechanistic understanding of what qualifies a vaccine
or an antibody to be effective in immunotherapy. The team is already productive and has published the proofs
of principle of the approach on which the science of this application is based: very high affinity antibodies can be
produced against bacterial glycans exposed at the surface of antibiotic resistant bacteria and are effective at
combating infectious challenges. We will expand our strategy to the surface glycans of three bacterial pathogens
listed by WHO as “critical” or “high” priority: Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Neisseria
gonorrhea. The fundamental knowledge that we will gain from our studies should establish a very detailed
blueprint of the immune recognition of glycans and glycopeptides by the immune system. The integration of the
chemistry, immunology, and structural biology facets of the project directly into the bacteriology and in vivo
models, will identify glycans targets and strategies to initiate pre-clinical studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10549640
- **Project number:** 1P01AI172525-01
- **Recipient organization:** SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE
- **Principal Investigator:** Luc Teyton
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $2,024,997
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-05-09 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10549640

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10549640, Multidimensional development of high-affinity anti-glycan antibodies to fight deadly bacterial infections (1P01AI172525-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10549640. Licensed CC0.

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