# Monoclonal Antibody to Combat Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $1,021,806

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen that infects immunocompromised
individuals, especially in the hospital setting. This bacterium is an important pathogen in people with weakened
immune systems, injuries, and other underlying physiologic dysfunctions. P. aeruginosa is responsible for up to
20% of all hospital-acquired pneumonias. It is one of major causes of nosocomial infections and has been noted
to be one of the most common bacteria co-infecting patients with COVID-19 or causing super-infections following
COVID-19 infections. Despite improvements in antimicrobial therapy and hospital care, P. aeruginosa
bacteremia and pneumonia remains fatal in about 30% of cases. P. aeruginosa is also the leading cause of
chronic life-threatening lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. This bacterium is naturally antibiotic resistant
and infections are notoriously difficult to treat once established, with no vaccine available.
We propose using the abundant and essential protein, elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu), as an antibody target for P.
aeruginosa. While best known for its role in protein synthesis, work from our group and others indicate that EF-
Tu can be surface-exposed on P. aeruginosa. Our PRELIMINARY RESULTS show that P. aeruginosa EF-Tu is
immunogenic in mice and protective in a murine model of acute P. aeruginosa pneumonia. We have generated
a mouse monoclonal antibody to EF-Tu promotes partial clearance of P. aeruginosa in this model.
This “Partnerships for the Development of Novel Therapeutics to Combat Select Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
and Fungi” (RFA-AI-22-028) and represents a collaborative effort between Dr. Joanna Goldberg at Emory
University in Atlanta, GA (the PI), Dr. Vu Truong at Aridis Pharmaceuticals in Los Gatos, CA (industrial partner),
Dr. Marion Pepper from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA and Dr. Sebastian Alberti from the University
of Balearic Islands in Palma, Spain. Using spleens from mice we will immunize mice with EF-Tu using protocols
optimized for protection and blood from humans that have high titers of antibodies to EF-Tu, we will obtain B-
cells that will be screened at single cell level using flow cytometry and a nanoculture microfluidic array,
respectively, to identify monoclonal antibodies specific for P. aeruginosa EF-Tu, followed by functional screens
for binding and phagocytic killing of P. aeruginosa. We will also test these monoclonal antibodies for efficacy in
mouse models of infection as an initial step toward future clinical studies. We believe the studies proposed here
represent the appropriate first steps towards developing a new passive reagent that could be given to P.
aeruginosa-infected patients regardless of the nature of the infecting strain and associated antibiotic-resistance
profile, as well as the immune status of the patient. By the completion of this project, we will have generated and
validated 10 murine-derived and 10 huma...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10674274
- **Project number:** 1R01AI176545-01
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Joanna B Goldberg
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $1,021,806
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-08-15 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10674274

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10674274, Monoclonal Antibody to Combat Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (1R01AI176545-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10674274. Licensed CC0.

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