Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Trudeau Institute Inc. $921,320 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective January 28, 2026, through December 31, 2030. This Project Grant supports the optimization and development of antitubercular compounds targeting a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) protein, alanine aminotransferase ASPC. The research focuses on advancing a candidate molecule (TI-374) from a lead compound stage toward potential therapeutic application through structure-activity relationship (SAR) expansion, potency optimization, and efficacy validation against MTB-infected models.

The project addresses critical gaps in tuberculosis drug development by pursuing a chemically distinct therapeutic with a novel mechanism of action, thereby mitigating resistance challenges associated with current multi- and extensively drug-resistant TB strains. Research activities conducted at the Saranac Lake, New York facility will employ ligand-based optimization approaches and antibiotic susceptibility assays to progress TI-374 into a viable lead compound. This initiative leverages drug repurposing strategy to reduce development timelines and costs while establishing scientific evidence for ASPC as a valid MTB target through in vitro enzyme studies and murine infection models.