# Liposome-displayed peptide vaccine against disseminated candidiasis by clinically-relevant Candida species

> **NIH NIH R41** · POP BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC · 2024 · $300,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this proposal is to develop an anti-Candida peptide vaccine that works alone or as an adjunct to
antifungal drugs to reduce fungal burden and morbidity due to life-threatening disseminated candidiasis, which
remains the most common bloodstream infection in hospitalized patients in the US. Despite the availability of
modern antifungal therapy, crude mortality in the last decade has remained unacceptably high. In particular,
C. auris is a multidrug-resistant (MDR), health care-associated fungal pathogen, and has emerged as the first
fungal pathogen to cause a global public health threat. There are no effective vaccines for Candida infection or
indeed for any fungi, and significant therapeutic challenges remain. Additionally, current anti-Candida treatments
are plagued by significant toxicity and poor efficacy, especially treating drug resistant Candida species in
immunocompromised patients. Thus, there is a pressing and urgent need for disease prevention through active
and passive immunization strategies. We previously identified Fba and Met6 (Fba, derived from fructose-
bisphosphate aldolase and Met6, derived from 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate homocysteine
methyltransferase) peptide immunogens that induce protective antibodies in a mouse model of candidiasis. To
further advance this antifungal peptide vaccine toward human clinical application, a novel particle-inducing
liposome system containing cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid (CoPoP) will be used as an ultrapotent vaccine
adjuvant platform for Fba and Met6 peptides. In preliminary data, immunization of mice with liposome-displayed
Fba / Met6 peptides or two-peptide combination induced robust IgG responses and balanced Th1/Th2 immunity
or Th1-baised which would play a key role contributed to resistance to invasive candidiasis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11007818
- **Project number:** 1R41AI184019-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** POP BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Hong Xin
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $300,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11007818

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11007818, Liposome-displayed peptide vaccine against disseminated candidiasis by clinically-relevant Candida species (1R41AI184019-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11007818. Licensed CC0.

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