(C) KBR

Secondary infections occurring within hospital environments—often involving bacteria or viruses—have remained one of modern medicine’s most stubborn challenges. For immunocompromised patients in intensive care units (ICUs), co-infections involving both bacteria and viruses are particularly lethal, significantly driving up mortality rates due to their complexity and resistance to standard treatments.

As antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" proliferate and rapidly mutating viruses bypass traditional vaccines, the medical community has been desperate for a new line of defense.

The "Pre-emptive Strike" Strategy
A research team at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), led by Drs. Ryu Choong-min and Seo Hwi-won, has introduced a paradigm-shifting strategy. Rather than attacking specific pathogens directly, their approach prepares the body’s innate immune system to react faster and more aggressively the moment a threat is detected.

From Pharmaceutical Stabilizer to Lifesaving Immunomodulator
The breakthrough centers on a substance called n-Dodecyl-β-D-maltoside (DDM). Traditionally, DDM has been used as a simple stabilizer in pharmaceutical manufacturing to maintain the integrity of drug components. However, the KRIBB team discovered that DDM possesses a hidden talent: it acts as a potent immunomodulator.

In animal trials, researchers administered DDM one day prior to pathogen exposure. The results were stark:

Control Group: Faced with highly virulent antibiotic-resistant bacteria and influenza viruses, the untreated group suffered 100% mortality.
DDM-Treated Group: Maintained a 100% survival rate, demonstrating a robust defense against both bacterial and viral threats.

The Role of Neutrophils
The mechanism behind this protection lies in the mobilization of neutrophils, the "first responders" of the human immune system. DDM does not loiter in the body as a toxin; instead, it signals the body to prime its neutrophils.

When an infection occurs, these primed cells rush to the site of invasion more rapidly than usual, enhancing phagocytosis (the process of engulfing and destroying pathogens) and bactericidal functions. Crucially, this activity is selective; DDM does not trigger excessive inflammation or side effects in the absence of an actual infection.

A Universal Shield for the Vulnerable
This "precision immune preparation" is significant because it is pathogen-agnostic. Because it boosts the host's natural defenses rather than targeting a specific protein on a virus or bacterium, it could theoretically protect against a wide array of known and unknown threats.

"This research represents a new infection response strategy that helps the body cope with complex infections by stimulating our own immunity," said Dr. Seo Hwi-won, the lead researcher. "We expect this to develop into a universal preventive strategy against unpredictable threats like antibiotic-resistant bacteria and novel emerging viruses."

Clinical Outlook
The potential applications are vast, particularly for protecting high-risk groups such as:

ICU Patients: Reducing the risk of fatal secondary infections.
The Elderly: Bolstering naturally waning immune responses.
Immunocompromised Individuals: Providing a safety net where vaccines may fail.
The study was published on January 29 in eBioMedicine, a sister journal of the world-renowned medical journal The Lancet. The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Bio/Medical Technology Development Program and KRIBB’s core research initiatives.