Dr. William Reiley at Trudeau Institute receives a $1.4M Research Grant
Dr. William W. Reiley, Ph.D., president, director and chief executive officer of Trudeau Institute.
Funding supports the study of nicotinamide for improved treatment of Tuberculosis
Saranac Lake, NY and Seattle, WA
Trudeau Institute has announced that Dr. William W. Reiley, Ph.D. was awarded a research grant for $1,437,261 to study the efficacy of nicotinamide in reducing disease caused by the causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in preclinical animal models.
The need for new treatments is urged on by the growing resistance of the pathogen to current treatments, the lengthy treatment regimen, and the significant side effects caused by the drugs used to fight it. Often, the disease returns, inured against the same medicines that have treated them in the past.
The 18-month project entitled, “Nicotinamide in vivo mouse studies” builds on early-stage studies by the Trudeau Institute and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate whether nicotinamide, as an add-on drug to an already existing novel treatment-shortening regimen, will improve efficacy outcomes in TB mouse models. Nicotinamide, a water-soluble form of vitamin B3, is cheap, safe, and orally bioavailable, and thus could be readily implemented as part of a treatment-shortening strategy, if it is found to improve outcomes in animal models.
TB remains a major global health concern as the leading cause of death attributable to a single infectious disease. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 3 people across the globe are infected by M. tuberculosis and the World Health Organization reported 1.25 million deaths from this disease in 2023. This airborne disease spreads through coughing and sneezing and continues to wreak havoc on parts of the developing world by contributing to poverty and restricting economic progress of communities and families. To combat this threat, new drugs and therapies are needed to protect the world from this persistent foe.
Dr. Reiley reiterates, “It is exactly for these reasons that we need to continue our focus on new compounds that attack novel targets and that work in combination therapies to lessen the impact of this pathogen on global heath,” said Reiley. “The fight against Tuberculosis is a legacy of Trudeau Institute and we are excited and proud to receive funding support from the Gates Foundation on this and other world health issues.”
About Trudeau Institute
Trudeau Institute is a research organization based in Saranac Lake, NY, focused on advancing scientific knowledge in infectious diseases, including influenza, tuberculosis, and COVID-19. With a history of fighting tuberculosis (TB) tracing back to 1884, today’s Trudeau Institute remains committed toward its mission of improving global human health by working with partner organizations to develop therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases.
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