Host directed medicine in invasive fungal infection

Projektinformationen

HDM-FUN

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 847507

DOI

10.3030/847507

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 6 Dezember 2019

Startdatum 1 Januar 2020

Enddatum 30 Juni 2026

Finanziert unter

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Health, demographic change and well-being

Gesamtkosten

€ 10 158 439,05

EU-Beitrag

€ 9 998 170,00

Koordiniert durch

STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - HDM-FUN (Host directed medicine in invasive fungal infection)

Berichtszeitraum: 2024-07-01 bis 2025-12-31

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

Despite novel treatment options and diagnostic tools, invasive fungal infections are still associated with an unacceptably high mortality and morbidity. Experts believe that a host-directed approach is needed to overcome this clinical challenge. No study to date in invasive fungal infection has integrated a host-directed strategy into a clinical trial. This consortium proposes for the first time a trans-disciplinary approach to identify personalized therapeutic and prophylactic strategies based on host-pathogen factors. We believe that we need such a personalized medicine approach in order to advance the aim of improved outcome in invasive fungal infection, and that, together with the exponential knowledge that has been gained in host-fungal interaction over the last two decades, it is time to move towards proof-of-principle clinical trials that can save lives of patients.
To this aim two clinical trials of host-directed medicine approaches will be performed: an immunotherapy trial with interferon gamma (IFNγ in patients with candidemia and a prospective observational trial in patients with influenza to identify patients at risk for aspergillosis that might benefit from antifungal prophylaxis.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

Both trials remain open for recruitment. This reporting period focused on accelerating enrolment (with WP2-Greece completed), maintaining robust safety oversight through three DSMB interim reviews at 20, 40, and 60 patients with no safety concerns, and scaling centralized biobanking with active sample distribution for downstream analyses. Recruitment has progressed substantially, with 64 patients included to date and continued enrolment in participating countries; Greece contributed a notable number of Candida auris cases, highlighting the translational relevance of the HDM-FUN platform. The eCRF is fully operational across 13 sites, prospective sampling continues, and the IAPA trial extension supports completion of the final recruitment season. Genetic, immunological, immunometabolic, and microbiome analyses advanced across WPs 5–7, including biomarker development (PTX3, suPAR, galectin-3) and integration of novel C. auris data. WP8 activities progressed with social science work, strengthened international engagement, and establishment of the International Immunotherapy Society for Fungal Diseases (IISFD), with its inaugural meeting planned for June 2026 in Crete.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

HDM-FUN is a unique project with the ambition to change treatment of fungal infection and influence daily clinical practice. It has the ambitious goal of introducing a new paradigm in host-directed medicine, namely the personalization of treatment and prevention of fungal infections by stratification based on host and pathogen factors. At this moment, all clinical trials on immunotherapy in infectious diseases have had a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Because the immune status of ICU patients is substantially different, such an approach is eventually deemed to fail. HDM-FUN has setup its design of clinical trials and research in such a way that we will be able to overcome this hurdle after completion of the current proposal.
HDM-FUN will contribute to (i) creating societal impact by changing clinical practice to better control infectious diseases and reduce their burden, thereby ensuring health and well-being for all, at every stage of life; (ii) reducing antimicrobial resistance; and (iii) developing HPF-based targeted treatments and preventive measures, HPF-biomarker based diagnostics and novel standards with respect to clinical trials and protocols.

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HDM-FUN small teams

HDM-FUN Management scheme