NanoBiCar: A novel immunotherapy for infectious diseases

ongoing

It is estimated that 20% of global mortality is associated with bacterial infections. The current treatment is based on the use of antibiotics, but nonspecific effects, difficulty in reaching intracellular bacteria, and the generation of antimicrobial resistance limit its effectiveness. Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality due to a single infectious agent: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is a major threat to global health security. A quarter of the population is latently infected with Mtb, many of them MDR strains, so preventing new cases of this growing reservoir is a priority. Immunotherapy is an alternative option, but its effectiveness is based on the immune response capacity of a compromised host. NanoBiCar's long-term vision is to revolutionize the current treatment of bacterial infections with a groundbreaking and innovative immunotherapeutic approach, overcoming many of the problems associated with treatment, with potential application beyond this field. Using TB as a proof of concept, three immunotherapeutic platforms, using mRNAs encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, not tested in bacterial diseases will be used to eliminate intra (IC) and extracellular (EC) bacteria. These immunotherapeutic methods are safe, economical, accessible, ready-to-use, and specific, targeting latent/ acute/chronic infections, without generating resistance and suitable for use in high-burden, low-resource settings; effective regardless of the antibiotic resistance of the strain and its niche (IC or EC), the genetic background of the host and the degree of immunocompetence.