Biosynthetic Immunotargeting for Pneumococcal Treatment

David A. Spiegel of Yale University in the U.S. will pursue an antibiotic strategy called "biosynthetic immunotargeting." Streptococcus pneumoniae will be fed small molecules which they will incorporate into their cell walls. These small molecules contain an epitope recognized by antibodies in the human bloodstream, leading to immune clearance independent of bacterial antigens, representing a unique, resistance-free approach to pneumococcal disease.