# CMV+ milk: morbidity risk & translational potential of neutralizing antibodies

> **NIH NIH R21** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2024 · $269,263

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Over one-half the population of childbearing age women are cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive. More than
90% of CMV-seropositive women will shed the virus in their breast milk during the first month of lactation without
clinical signs of systemic infection. Postnatal cytomegalovirus (pCMV) infection occurs in 4-20% of preterm
infants, manifesting as a sepsis-like syndrome and respiratory decomposition. Developing novel strategies to
eliminate the risk of pCMV infection or adverse host responses to CMV+ human milk in preterm infants is a
critical step to maximize the safety of human milk delivery. The overall objectives of this study are to (1) test the
potential of an added CMV neutralizing antibody to minimize cellular infiltration and infection, and to (2)
characterize the human milk compositional differences in CMV+ versus CMV- milk and its impact on preterm
health outcomes. We will conduct two complimentary specific aims: (1) Evaluate the pharmacokinetics and
neutralizing efficacy of an anti-CMV antibody added to CMV+ milk. (2) Investigate the impact of mammary CMV
reactivation on the human milk lipidome and determine the impact of receiving CMV+ human milk on neonatal
outcomes. This proposal brings together leading experts in neonatology, neonatal nutrition, human milk
lipidomics, infectious disease, CMV, and vaccine development. Adding anti-CMV neutralizing antibodies in
CMV+ human milk has the potential to reduce the risk of postnatal CMV transmission in preterm infants who rely
on breast milk for optimal nutrition. In addition, human milk compositional changes will be identified that will
identify targets to mitigate the risk of lipidomic and inflammatory driven secondary disease outcomes related to
CMV reactivation in breast milk and serve as efficacy biomarkers for future intervention trials to interrupt human
milk CMV reactivation and infectivity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10950973
- **Project number:** 1R21HD115905-01
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** CAMILIA R MARTIN
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $269,263
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-05 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10950973

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10950973, CMV+ milk: morbidity risk & translational potential of neutralizing antibodies (1R21HD115905-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10950973. Licensed CC0.

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