Eradicating H. Pylori bacterial infection to reduce stomach cancer

Successful eradication of H. pylori can prevent this cancer, yet increasing antibiotic resistance is making treatment less effective. Building on their early work developing new methods to test for antibiotic resistance, Dr Tom Mules and his team at the Malaghan are now leading three interconnected projects.

The first is determining up-to-date rates of H. pylori antibiotic resistance in New Zealand, data that will inform national treatment guidelines and enable more tailored, effective therapies. The second is investigating how the H. Pylori bacteria interact with the human immune system, providing crucial insights for developing new treatments and, ultimately, a vaccine. The third, in partnership with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the USA, is developing a novel antimicrobial therapy that specifically targets H. pylori without harming the wider microbiome.

Together, these projects represent a significant step forward in transforming how H. pylori infection is managed.

“By understanding resistance patterns, unravelling how the bacterium evades the immune system and developing entirely new treatments, we are building the tools needed to prevent stomach cancer more effectively and equitably,” says Dr Mules.