World experts have joined forces to launch Antibiotic Discovery Global (ADG) – a powerful coalition that aims to tackle the near empty antibiotic development pipeline due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Unveiled by Anthony Coates, Founder of Antibiotic Discovery UK, this first global network of experts in antibiotic discovery and development from industry and academia believes that there is a critical need to rebuild the infrastructure and international capacity for antibiotic discovery and development.
While the 1940s to 1970s produced a golden age of antibiotics, some experts are concerned that the support for future antibiotic discoveries has virtually disappeared over the past two decades due to company mergers, lack of investment in the field and the consequent and systematic loss of experts within industry and academia.
Antibiotic Discovery Global aims to provide an international knowledge base and infrastructure to support global antibiotic discovery and development, including the rejuvenation of older antibiotics for new uses. The network will support the need for the establishment of a Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Innovation Fund, as proposed by the O'Neill Review on AMR1, and will promote the need for global PhD and Fellowship programmes in antibiotic discovery.
Jim O’Neill, Chair, Review into Antimicrobial Resistance, welcomed the coalition, saying: 'We need to invest more in the people who will solve the challenges raised by drug-resistant infections. Antibiotic Discovery Global will provide a much needed forum for experts from academia and industry to meet, innovate and begin to rebuild a robust antibiotic discovery and development platform. This initiative can start turning the tide and play an important role to attract the new generation of researchers in academia and public and commercial labs.
Sir Anthony Coates, Founder, Antibiotic Discovery UK, St George’s University of London, said: 'It is essential that we rebuild the academic and industrial infrastructure if we are to tackle what is undoubtedly the greatest crisis facing human health.'
Professor Laura Piddock, Director of Antibiotic Action, said: 'Antibiotic Action has long campaigned for the discovery, development and bringing to market of new antibiotics for all who need them – now and in the future. The problems we face are global, and global initiatives such as this are essential if we are to solve the dual crisis of antibiotic resistance and the empty antibiotic pipeline.'
The emergence of multi-drug resistant infections and the loss of infrastructure for antibiotic discovery over the past two decades pose unprecedented challenges to human health. By 2050 it is estimated that 10 million people annually will die from a multi-drug resistant infection at a global cost of $100 trillion1. Millions more will find commonplace surgeries, cancer therapies and treatment for chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis threatened unless new, effective antibiotics are discovered, developed and made available.
The Antibiotic Discovery Global Network is not-for-profit and is free to join. It is based upon the experience of Antibiotic Discovery UK, a UK network of those interested in antibiotic discovery in industry, numbering approximately 70 experts working within 15 companies and 15 universities.
This network has facilitated the establishment of BEAM (Biotechs from Europe innovating in Anti-Microbial resistance), a European Antibiotic SME network co-founded by Anthony Coates and entrepreneur and CEO of Da Volterra, Florence Sejourne, that comprises some 37 antibiotic R&D focused biotech companies from 10 different European countries.
National networks have also been established in Spain, and interest expressed in the US and Australasia. Members of these existing networks have joined forces with others from many countries and together created the Antibiotic Discovery Global Network launched on 10 June 2015.
Reference
1. Antimicrobial Resistance: Tackling a crisis for the health and wealth of nations. The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance Dec 2014
