HHS announces ARPA-H project to prevent infections and limit reliance on antibiotics 

Project seeks to identify probiotic strains that can protect against deadly lung infections

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) today announced the funding of the Pro/Prebiotic Regulation for Optimized Treatment and Eradication of Clinical Threats (PROTECT) project. PROTECT aims to leverage beneficial bacteria to outcompete harmful bacteria, preventing or quickly treating infections before they can take hold or develop antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent global threat and a leading cause of death worldwide. PROTECT is the third ARPA-H investment in the past year to tackle the challenge – a total investment that now tops $150 million. 

“Antibiotic-resistant infections have the potential to kill millions in the next 25 years. The U.S. remains committed to fighting back against AMR through innovative and forward-thinking solutions, like PROTECT,” said Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “But we can’t do this alone. This has to be a global effort. Infections don’t respect borders. It takes everyone to combat antibiotic resistance.”  

Research to identify new antibiotics is necessary to develop treatments for such persistent and dangerous infections. PROTECT, though, takes a unique approach to preventing AMR infections by harnessing the power of the body’s healthy microbiome to outcompete and suppress harmful bacteria. Using a precision blend of native probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics, or the nutrients that support those good bacteria, the research team aims to block lung infections from becoming severe. 

“Imagine if we could unlock the microbiome’s potential to proactively fight infections,” said Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D., ARPA-H Director. “If we can keep people from becoming patients in the first place, we can reduce antibiotic usage and support the global work against AMR.” 

PROTECT aims to develop a generalizable platform for combatting AMR, beginning with an at-home, inhalable treatment for infections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that can cause severe infection and lung damage in people with cystic fibrosis or pneumonia. A multidisciplinary team, led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, will investigate the lung microbiome to identify probiotic and prebiotic formulations that can effectively counter harmful bacteria. Additionally, PROTECT will work to establish a publicly available hub to share project data and materials, providing the scientific community with powerful new tools to accelerate breakthroughs in fighting infections. The project has a budget of up to $22.7 million. 

This contract is one of multiple research projects solicited through ARPA-H's Open Broad Agency Announcement (Open BAA). Defeating Antibiotic Resistance through Transformative Solutions (DARTS) and Transforming Antibiotic R&D with Generative AI to stop Emerging Threats (TARGET) are earlier AMR-related projects funded through this mechanism. ARPA-H continues to seek groundbreaking innovations for health research through the Mission Office Innovative Solution Openings. Continued support of each award is contingent on projects meeting aggressive milestones, typical to the ARPA-H model.  

Visit the project awardee page to learn more about individual projects as they are awarded.