OHAMR Call for proposals 2026

General Information

• Project title: Rifabutin boosts concentrations and efficacy of other antibiotics by inhibiting P-glycoprotein
• Type: Project looking for partner
• Organisation: Heidelberg University Hospital
• Country: Germany (DE)
• Career stage: Other.

Research area

• Scientific area(s) of the call:
  1. Topic 1: Identify and develop new combination treatments using existing or innovative antimicrobials or antimicrobial with adjunctive treatments to extend drug efficacy and combat resistance.
• One Health Setting:

  H - Human Health

• Keywords:

  Rifabutin; P-glycoprotein inhibition; enhancement of drug levels and efficacy

• Brief description of your expertise / expertise you are looking for:

  We are an acedemic department of clinical pharmacology at the Heidelberg University Hospital. We conduct early clinical trials in healthy volunteers or patients, investigating new drugs or innovative drug combinations. Moreover, we evaluate the systemic or cellular pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics according to international guidelines and protocols.

• Brief description of your project / the project you would like to join:

  Our recent in vitro findings show that rifabutin is a potent inhibitor of P-glycoprotein, potentially masking its induction (e.g. by rifampicin), improving intestinal absorption of co-administered antibiotics, stabilizing their plasma levels, enhancing their tissue distribution, and thus eventually breaking antibiotic resistance. Together, rifabutin\'s potent P-glycoprotein inhibition effects can make rifabutin a pharmacoenhancer of antibiotics. Accordingly, we look for clinicians, scientists, or pharmacometricians, willing to unravel this innovative potential of an old drug such as rifabutin.

Dirk Theile

• Organisation: Heidelberg University Hospital
• Position:
• E-mail: dirk.theile@med.uni-heidelberg.de
• Web: www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de/en/kliniken-institute/kliniken/zentrum-fuer-innere-medizin-krehl-klinik/dept-of-clinical-pharmacology-and-pharmacoepidemiology