Author: Anna Sundin

A review article on “The global preclinical antibacterial pipeline” has been published recently in Nature Reviews Microbiology that provides comprehensive analyses on discovery and preclinical development projects that were at least in the lead generation phase (hit-to-lead phase) but had not yet reached first-in-human studies. The focus is to identify whether enough antibacterial drugs are being discovered and developed and provide decision support for all actors in this field. JPIAMR has supported WHO in the preclinical pipeline analysis and the contribution of JPIAMR has been acknowledged in the article.

Briefly, the review highlights that the current preclinical antibacterial pipeline consists of 407 highly diverse projects from 314 institutions, most of which are small and medium- sized

enterprises (SMEs). Less than half of the projects involve direct- acting small molecules and 70% of these aim at new targets.  The focus is on Gram- negative pathogens, particularly bacteria on the WHO priority bacteria list. The preclinical pipeline shows a strong trend towards non- traditional approaches, including diverse antivirulence approaches, microbiome- modifying strategies, and engineered phages and probiotics.

The innovative potential and the high levels of diversity of the preclinical pipeline is encouraging but fragile. Of the many reasons highlighted, the dearth of funding available for clinical development of antibacterial therapies is a major challenge that contributes to barriers for progression of preclinical projects to human trials. Other than strong dependence on public and/or philanthropic funding, a long- term commitment of sustained push funding, pull incentives and new concepts for commercializing and delivering future therapies is necessary.

Download the full article (pdf 1 MB, opens in a new window)

A back to back viewpoint was also published in Nature Reviews Microbiology on the “Antibiotic development – economic, regulatory and societal challenges”. Seven experts, including one of the members of the JPIAMR Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), Ramanan Laxminarayan, highlighted the challenges that are contributing to the decline in antibiotic drug discovery and development. JPIAMR has been highlighted as one of the international initiatives aimed at incentivizing research and the development of new antibiotics.

Download the full article (pdf 0,8 MB, opens in a new window)

Romania is organising a 1,5 day JPIAMR workshop in Bucharest on the 5-6 December targeting the policy making level with the aim to explore opportunities for putting together EU and global experience and sharing resources and achievements in order to find sustainable solutions for tackling AMR in the Eastern Europe Region. Speakers from different European countries will share their experiences.

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Download final workshop program (pdf 0,2 MB, opens in a new window)

We are launching a regional JPIAMR Workshop in Asia: Fostering knowledge on Clinical Epidemiology, AMR policy, Therapeutics and Diagnostics to combat AMR in Asia. This workshop will bring together experts and researchers from Asia to provide insights on Antimicrobial Resistance in Asia. The workshop will be held at Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea, December 4-5, 2019.

The workshop is organised by Korea and supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and by JPIAMR.

Read more and register.

Twelve projects involving 55 partners from 25 different countries have been awarded funding within the JPIAMR 9th transnational call: “Call on Diagnostics and Surveillance 2019”. The total funding amount is 12,1 M€.

For a list and description of all awarded projects, please visit the following page: Projects awarded funding within the 9th JPIAMR Joint Call

Today and during the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (18 – 24 November 2019) JPIAMR will publish videos where some of the awarded projects are presented by the project coordinators. Please visit the JPIAMR YouTube channelfor updates.

The call was launched in December 2018 and supported by 20 research-funding organisations from JPIAMR member countries. The primary aim of the call was to support innovative research projects on new or improved diagnostic and surveillance strategies, tools, technologies and methods. The call also aimed to support research projects that have the potential for impact in areas where the risk and burden of AMR is greatest, such as in LMIC settings in Asia and Africa.

JPIAMR has today published research output and impact from three of the seven projects funded in the first JPIAMR Joint Call 2014, Innovative approaches to address antibacterial resistance. This call was promoted by 14 funding agencies in 12 countries, and had a total budget of 13,8 M€. The projects have resulted in a pending patent for a TB compound, a new approach to interrupting bacteria communications, and innovations to make existing antibiotics remain effective.

Jan-Ingvar Jönsson, Acting Chair JPIAMR Management Board, says:

– Results generated from this call shows how JPIAMR funding can make a difference, and lead to ground-breaking research and innovations.

Read more on each project in the folder and research spotlights below:

• Achievements of 1st Joint Call: Innovative approaches to address antibacterial resistance (pdf 0,2 MB, opens in a new window)
• NACPLI: Non-conventional approaches for peptidoglycan cross-linking inhibition (pdf 0,2 MB, opens in a new window)
• noTBSec: New intervention strategy for tuberculosis by blocking multiple essential targets (pdf 0,2 MB, opens in a new window)
• SENBIOTAR: Sensitising Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms to antibiotic and reducing virulence through novel target inhibition (pdf 0,2 MB, opens in a new window)

In May 2019, JPIAMR published the JPIAMR Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which emphasises the One Health approach to address AMR and outlines six key priority topics within the AMR field: Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Surveillance, Transmission, Environment and Interventions.

The SRIA provides a framework for the JPIAMR Roadmap of Actions 2019-2024 that will guide future joint transnational actions of the JPIAMR as well as to serve as an information resource for other strategic initiatives to support coordination and synergistic actions. The Roadmap defines future JPIAMR research calls, network calls, strategic workshops and JPIAMR-VRI activities.

Download the JPIAMR Roadmap of Actions 2019-2024 (pdf 4MB, opens in a new window)

The JPIAMR Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) that is published today presents an overview of recent developments and future needs for AMR research. The SRIA outlines six key priority topics within the AMR field: Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Surveillance Transmission, Environment and Interventions, and has defined a set of research objectives within each priority topic. Together, 27 countries has created the SRIA.

The SRIA highlights many important research needs, including:

• The need to address AMR with a holistic One Health approach
• The necessity of including innovation in every aspect of AMR research
• Increased inclusion of Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs)
• The need for developments incorporating personalised medicine and artificial intelligence.

The SRIA is a prime guiding tool for AMR research prioritisation in investments, research activities and planning for JPIAMR member states and other funding initiatives. It is also one of the most thorough guidelines on AMR research, helping researchers, policy makers, media, educators, health workers and the scientific community to work together on solutions to curb AMR on a global scale.

• Read more on the JPIAMR SRIA
• Download the JPIAMR SRIA (60 pages)
• Download an overview of JPIAMR SRIA priority topics and research and innovation objectives (2 pages)