Helping bladder cells to clear urinary infections
Researchers at EPFL discovered that the drug OM-89 (Uro‑Vaxom®) activates lysosomal pathways in bladder epithelial cells, enhancing the clearance of intracellular Escherichia coli and increasing antibiotic uptake. The study, published in PLOS Pathogens, showed that OM‑89’s effect reduces bacterial regrowth after antibiotic treatment in both mouse and human bladder models. These findings suggest a host‑directed strategy to improve outcomes for recurrent urinary tract infections.
Researchers at EPFL discovered that the drug OM-89 (Uro‑Vaxom®) activates lysosomal pathways in bladder epithelial cells, enhancing the clearance of intracellular Escherichia coli and increasing antibiotic uptake. The study, published in PLOS Pathogens, showed that OM‑89’s effect reduces bacterial regrowth after antibiotic treatment in both mouse and human bladder models. These findings suggest a host‑directed strategy to improve outcomes for recurrent urinary tract infections.
The research demonstrates how EPFL’s bioinformatics and organoid modeling capabilities, part of Swiss scientific infrastructure, can support AI‑driven approaches to drug mechanism discovery and infection control.
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