In previous work, researchers from the University of Georgia developed liposomes loaded with antifungal drugs and coated with the carbohydrate recognition domains of mouse dectin-1 and/or dectin-2, called Dectisomes. The murine Dectisomes efficiently bound and killed pathogenic fungi in vitro and in mouse disease models. In a new study, the team aimed to explore how to potentially move Dectisomes into the clinic with human dectin orthologues.
Invasive fungal infections pose a significant global health challenge due to their severity and the scarcity of effective and safe treatment options. Unlike antibacterial drug development, creating new antifungals is especially challenging because fungal and human cells share a eukaryotic structure, highlighting the need for innovative treatment strategies.
Preclinical research led by the University Hospital Würzburg in Germany shows early promise for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies to treat invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a serious fungal infection with limited current treatment options.
