
A lifeline for antibiotic development
The industry-led AMR Action Fund is a major step forward in tackling the spread of drug-resistant infections. Jeremy Knox explains why governments too need to do more to stimulate antibiotic development.
Our vision is a world in which escalating infectious diseases are under control in the communities most affected, and nobody is endangered by drug-resistant infections. We want to transform the world's approach towards stemming the rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Drug-resistant infections kill hundreds of thousands of people every year, in all parts of the world. This burden is disproportionately higher in low- and middle-income countries.
If we act now, we can turn the tide on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), save millions of lives and safeguard the medical progress of the past hundred years for future generations. If we don’t, then routine medical procedures and operations will become dangerous or stop being effective, common infections will become untreatable, and many lives will be lost.
Through our work, we want to:
Landscape report on early antibiotic development
To strengthen the antibiotic discovery pipeline, we want to support researchers in academia and SMEs to access relevant training, expertise and resources at the early stages of translation and product development, and raise funding for R&D. We are looking for organisations with knowledge of the field and experience in conducting landscape reviews to produce a report to inform our work in this space.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 17.00 GMT, on 16 December 2020. Selected partners will be asked to submit a full proposal by 20 January 2021.
Find more details about this project and how to submit an expression of interest: Request for proposal for landscape report: early antibiotic development [PDF 302KB].
We’re working to achieve three key objectives. Building a strengthened evidence base underpins each of these.
The development of new therapeutics, particularly antibiotics, is crucial to mitigate the effects of antimicrobial resistance. But the environment for developing antibiotics is challenging, with market failures inhibiting private sector development of these essential drugs.
To improve the pipeline of antibiotics, we have:
Next, we want to catalyse the development and update of key tools like new antibiotics, interventions to enable the appropriate use of antibiotics, and better data to prevent, treat and control drug-resistant infections.
CARB-X aims to protect people from the most serious bacterial threats by accelerating antibacterial product development.
Access to antibiotics remains an issue in many countries, where it is often a greater concern than drug-resistant infections. Meanwhile, antimicrobial treatments are frequently misused – taken for infections or conditions that cannot be treated with antimicrobials, in improper dosage, or for the wrong treatment duration.
This behaviour leads to a rise in antimicrobial resistance. Diagnostics can help to guide appropriate use of antibiotics and, at the same time, improve patient outcomes, facilitate development of new drugs, and enhance the surveillance of AMR. But not enough new diagnostic products are in development, due to market failures and other barriers.
To improve the development and use of diagnostics, and build evidence around how to make better use of existing antibiotics, we have:
Drug resistance will only be effectively managed if everyone acts to reduce it – that’s why national measures are so important. By now, all countries have set National Action Plans, but these still need to be implemented.
Until recently, we have worked on advancing global governance structures. Next, we plan to redirect our efforts from top-down global mobilisation to strengthening national responses.
Following the 2016 UN resolution to tackle drug-resistant infections, we have:
For the latest news and views on all aspects of antimicrobial resistance, follow us on Twitter @Wellcome_AMR(opens in a new tab)
We have strengthened the evidence base underpinning these objectives by:
The industry-led AMR Action Fund is a major step forward in tackling the spread of drug-resistant infections. Jeremy Knox explains why governments too need to do more to stimulate antibiotic development.
Developing new antibiotics is one way of tackling the growing threat of drug-resistant infections. Tim Jinks explains why it's critical to step up investment in antibiotic development.
Discovering and then bringing new antibiotics to market is a formidable challenge – but one we need to solve if we want to be better protected against the growing threat of drug-resistant infections. Here’s why, and what has to happen to develop new medicines.
Read more articles on drug-resistant infections
A discussion paper by Wellcome about the challenges in antibiotic research and development.
Reframing Resistance. How to communicate about antimicrobial resistance effectively
Wellcome's report and practical toolkit aims to guide experts, communicators and practitioners to communicate with impact, so that the public understands and supports action on drug-resistant infections.
Following the report of the Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance(opens in a new tab) to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organization have been working on setting up an Independent Panel for Evidence on Action Against AMR. They issued draft Terms of Reference(opens in a new tab) for the panel in an open consultation which Wellcome responded to.
The Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued the draft notification Environment Protection Amendment Rules 2020(opens in a new tab), setting out proposed national standards for levels of antimicrobials released in pharmaceutical manufacturing effluent. Wellcome responded to the open consultation on this notification.
We respond to the Open Consultation on Proposals Received for the 2020 Comprehensive Review of the Global Indicator Framework, specifically in relation to inclusion of an antimicrobial resistance-specific indicator within the Sustainable Development Goals.
Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance 2018 Report [PDF 1.4MB]
Key outcomes from the second Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance held in Ghana, co-hosted by the Governments of Ghana, Thailand and the UK, along with the World Bank, UN Foundation and Wellcome.
The Ghana Declaration, Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance [PDF 927KB]
The Ghana Declaration signed by the co-hosts of the Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance, together with civil society leaders, heads of private sector companies and the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Wellcome response to IACG draft recommendations [PDF 598KB]
We respond to the draft recommendations of the Ad hoc Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Addressing antimicrobial resistance in the environment [PDF 1.9MB]
This scientific white paper looks at the evidence about how antimicrobial resistance in the environment is impacting human health, and at how the risks can be addressed.
It summarises discussions from the International Environmental AMR forum, held in April 2018. Read the executive summary [PDF 638KB] for the key messages.
CARB-X annual reports(opens in a new tab)
The progress CARB-X has made towards accelerating antibacterial research since it was established in 2016.
Vaccines for antimicrobial resistance(opens in a new tab)
This report, commissioned by Wellcome and produced by Boston Consulting Group, looks at the opportunities and challenges around developing vaccines to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Antimicrobial resistance inquiry [PDF 89KB]
The evidence we submitted to the Health and Social Care Committee Antimicrobial resistance inquiry.
Antimicrobial resistance surveillance: sharing industry data [PDF 1.1MB]
Recommendations from a pilot project to openly publish human antimicrobial resistance surveillance data generated and collected by the pharmaceutical industry. The project was led by the Open Data Institute and funded by Wellcome.
Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance [PDF 1.9MB]
The key outcomes from the Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance event, organised by Wellcome in partnership with the UK, Ghanaian and Thai governments and the UN Foundation.
The event focused on the critical gaps in tackling the spread of drug-resistant infections and sought commitments to concerted and tangible actions.
SEDRIC, one year on [PDF 371KB]
A reflection on the activities and accomplishments of the Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug-Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) in its first year, and plans for the next 12 months.
See all of our reports on drug-resistant infections.
To contact someone in the team, email drugresistantinfections@wellcome.org.
See who's who in the drug-resistant infections team and the strategic advisory board.