The half-life extended humanized antibody targets a conserved bacterial cell wall component across gram positive, gram negative and mycobacteria
LHNVD-501 has the potential to support prophylactic and therapeutic use across bacterial infections and metabolic, inflammatory, and neuroinflammatory diseases
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics (LHNVD), an IND enabling-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced new preclinical data for LHNVD-501, a half-life extended humanized monoclonal antibody targeting peptidoglycan (PGN), a structural component present in virtually all bacterial pathogens. By targeting PGN, an upstream driver of sepsis, metabolic disease, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegeneration, LHNVD-501 may address the underlying inflammatory causes of these diseases. The data were presented at the World Vaccine Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. from March 31 to April 2.
“LHNVD-501 represents a fundamentally different approach to bacterial infection,” said Nimisha Rikhi, PhD, Senior Research Scientist at Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics. “By targeting a conserved structural component shared across bacterial species, this approach has the potential to provide broad-spectrum coverage while working with the body’s own immune system rather than relying solely on the traditional antibiotics.”
Mechanism of Action
LHNVD-501 binds PGN found in the cell walls of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacterial pathogens, enabling immune-mediated clearance of bacteria. In the preclinical studies presented at the World Vaccine Congress, the antibody demonstrated binding to multiple bacterial species and showed opsonophagocytic killing activity, indicating its ability to recruit immune cells to eliminate bacteria.
The antibody incorporates a YTE Fc mutation, extending its half-life in circulation, and supporting potential use in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings.
Potential Role in Antimicrobial Resistance and Sepsis
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is projected to cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050, creating an urgent need for new approaches to bacterial infections. Because LHNVD-501 targets conserved components of bacteria, it may offer an effective prophylactic and therapeutic option against drug-resistant bacteria, thus providing a complementary strategy to existing treatments and could potentially be used alongside antibiotics to enhance pathogen clearance.
Longhorn is also evaluating LHNVD-501 in preclinical models of sepsis, where bacterial cell wall fragments such as peptidoglycan contribute to systemic inflammatory responses. Neutralizing circulating PGN may provide a novel approach to modulating the inflammatory cascade associated with severe infection.
Emerging Role in Metabolic, Inflammatory, and Neuroinflammatory Diseases
Beyond acute infection, growing scientific evidence suggests that bacterial cell wall fragments circulating in the bloodstream may contribute to chronic disease. Peptidoglycan derived from gut microbiota can enter circulation when intestinal barrier function is compromised, triggering immune activation through innate immune receptors such as TLR-2, NOD1 and NOD2.
This persistent immune signaling has been implicated in a range of conditions including metabolic disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, and neuroinflammation. Studies have linked circulating bacterial components to processes involved in insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and activation of immune pathways in the central nervous system.
By binding and neutralizing circulating peptidoglycan fragments, LHNVD-501 may provide a novel upstream mechanism to reduce the role of bacterial cell wall components in diseases such as type 2 diabetes, inflammatory disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions associated with chronic neuroinflammation.
About Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics
Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics (LHNVD), headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a IND-enabling stage biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and diagnostics targeting pathogens. The company focuses on innovative approaches to addressing major public health challenges including antimicrobial resistance, sepsis, and inflammatory disease.
Contacts
Business Development Contact
Jeff Fischer
President
Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics
jeff@lhnvd.com
301.233.1551
Media Contact
Alexis Feinberg
ICR Healthcare
Alexis.feinberg@icrhealthcare.com
203.939.2225
