# Enolase inhibitors as therapeutic leads for Naegleria fowleri infections

> **NIH NIH R21** · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $262,476

## Abstract

Project Summary
Human infection by the pathogenic free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri causes primary
amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which in the majority (>95%) of infections end in
fatality. We have recently found that a group of phosphonate inhibitors of the glycolytic
enzyme enolase (ENO) that are well-tolerated in mammals are potent anti-amebic
compounds. The goal of this proposal is to test the hypothesis that the amoeba ENO
(NfENO) is a promising target for therapeutic development and to optimize phosphonate
inhibtors to early lead stage. As part of this, we will use a small collection of inhibitors and a
series of orthologous assays to biochemically validate NfENO as target of the agents and
will determine the effect of the inhibitors on amoebae infections in a rodent disease model,
scoring the immune response to treatment as part of the effort.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10857197
- **Project number:** 5R21AI171217-02
- **Recipient organization:** CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES Culvin MORRIS
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $262,476
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-05 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10857197

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10857197, Enolase inhibitors as therapeutic leads for Naegleria fowleri infections (5R21AI171217-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10857197. Licensed CC0.

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