Category: News and press

AMR in focus at G 7 Health Ministers meeting in Milan

Anders BjersNews and press

On November 5 and 6, the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Health took place in Milan, Italy. On the agenda for the second day was antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The discussions focused on crucial topics of global health. The aim of the meeting was among else to coordinate global and concrete actions. In that context, participating Health Ministers expressed that they welcome the establishment of the Global AMR R&D Hub and call to ensure it becomes an effective platform to align and increase global investment in much needed R&D based on WHO recommendations, e.g. the Priority Pathogen List (PPL).  They expressed support for the collaboration of the Global AMR R&D Hub with existing international networks and initiatives like the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR, the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP), CARB-X and the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPIAMR). G7 Health Ministers expressed support for the development of evidence-based strategies, tools and interventions to fight AMR, and sustain research related to the Strategic Objectives of the WHO Global Action Plan. As well as to promote R&D for new antimicrobials, alternative therapies, vaccines and rapid-point-of care diagnostics, in particular for WHO-defined priority pathogens and tuberculosis.

JPIAMR welcomes the G7 Health Ministers focus on global coordination, supported R&D areas and the many dimensions of Antibiotic Resistance, the impacts are real now. The actions of JPIAMRs 26 member nations concerted efforts to meet human needs- and scientific results are tangible today. JPIAMR has merged the shared Strategic Research Agenda with a One Health approach. A crucial component and strategy since antimicrobial resistance do not adhere to any boundaries. In 2018 JPIAMR launches it´s 6th call: Innovation against antibiotic resistant bacteria – New targets, compounds and tools. This as a direct response to the WHO Priority Pathogens List (PPL). Coordinating participating nations resources for funding research that targets the 12 groups of bacteria and drug-resistant tuberculosis listed by WHO.

JPIAMR also welcome the initiative of the Global AMR R&D Hub, working side by side to ensure that innovation is in focus and not duplication. Seeing that a diverse range of research and resources can match and harness AMR as the multidimensional global threat it is.

Working together makes the difference we need – to harness AMR in time.

Press release: Statement for the Call to Action on AMR in Berlin, October 12-13 2017

Anders BjersNews and press

At the Call to Action in Berlin on October 12-13, the JPIAMR will commit to several new initiatives and actions for 2018.

  1. Research is a crucial tool to address AMR, therefore, we commit to launch three joint research calls with a preliminary budget of 15M€. We will focus our efforts on projects to identify new targets addressing the WHO pathogens priority list, Surveillance, and we will build on our recent success and support Research Networks across international borders.
  2. Resistant bacteria do not respect any international borders and as globalisation and AMR increases we firmly believe international research efforts across borders should also. In response to this growing challenge the JPIAMR will launch a ground breaking AMR Virtual Research Institute. A dynamic network of AMR research facilities and groups to provide a global platform for scientific collaboration and build research capacity.
  3. AMR is a complex challenge and as our understanding grows, we need to be adaptive and responsive. As a result, the JPIAMR commit to increasing activities to prioritise research within the Strategic Research Agenda. JPIAMR is also committing to do several mappings of AMR research funding and update the existing data. Together with creating a database of AMR research projects. Also, to map AMR research centres and research infrastructures. We are aiming to have all this information available in a database in 2018/19.

“This Call to Action needs to truly embrace the complexity and challenge of AMR. We need to work together on the many dimensions of AMR simultaneously. That is why JPIAMR is one of the key organisations to support and become a member of, in order to harness antimicrobial resistance in time, for mankind”, says Dr. Carlos Segovia, Chairman JPIAMR.

“The impact of JPIAMR since its inception is fundamental. I see the Virtual Research Institute as another stellar creation facilitated by JPIAMR and the dynamic research context is unique for the work to harness AMR.”, says Dr. Marc Ouellette, Member of the Board JPIAMR.

The JPIAMR calls on all Nation States to join the organisation. We also ask existing Member States to build on the progress made and continue to invest in high quality research, across international borders with the One Health multidimensional approach. Together – we create progress.

Download: PRESS RELEASE JPIAMR Statement A Call To Action Berlin 13 October 2017.

JPIAMR: Facts and Contacts
Since 2013, the JPIAMR, Joint Project Initiative on AMR, has funded more than 45 research projects and/or networks with more than 300 partners, across multiple countries and disciplines. JPIAMR has coordinated investments of €60m to advance knowledge in areas such as: Discovery of new therapies, transmission dynamics of AMR in humans, animals and the environment, new surveillance methods and interventions to reduce the impact of AMR. JPIAMR is gaining momentum as a global co-ordinating capacity and leading research organisation on AMR.

With four new Member States joining since September 2016 alone, JPIAMR clearly creates substantial values for its members and researchers alike. To date, 26 Nations are full members and the organisation is growing, adding new member continuously to the now global organisation.

For inquiries at the Call to Action in Berlin, October 12-13. Please contact:

Laura Marin, General Manager JPIAMR.

Telephone: +46 8 546 44 119

E-mail: laura.marin@vr.se

For other press inquiries, please contact:

Anders Bjers, Communications Officer JPIAMR.

Telephone: +46 8 546 44 068

E-mail: anders.bjers@vr.se

October 2017: Management Board meeting in Stockholm

Anders BjersNews and press

We gathered members of JPIAMR for Management Board meeting in Stockholm on October 10-11. Two dynamic days with member nations represented. Sharing AMR insights and updates on the actions of JPIAMR. Coordination, collaboration, calls and developments in focus.

Many items and areas covered, including welcoming new member South Africa who was represented by Dr. Richard Gordon. The mapping project is underway, continued expansion of JPIAMR, updates from EC and the development of JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute.

Thank you all for making it to Stockholm.

Workshop: Environmental Dimensions of AMR

Anders BjersNews and press

Full focus on the impact of environment on AMR when a global group of scientist collaborated during two intense days. Themes discussed: Evolution, Transmission and Interventions. The purpose of the workshop was to explore and identify critical research needs that relate to the environmental dimensions of AMR, both in the longer term for providing input to an updated JPIAMR Strategic Research Agenda, but also in the shorter term to provide guidance for specific calls. Creating more insights on  what role environment plays for antibiotic resistance. We can not exclude the importance of environmental dimensions from the complex context of AMR.

Please, find an article about the report of the outcomes from the workshop.

The workshop in Gothenburg was hosted together with CARe – Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research at University of Gothenburg.

We made a few interviews during the workshop, please view the videos below.

We say thank you to all of you who participated!

New WHO Report: Current Clinical Pipeline Insufficient

Anna SundinNews and press

The WHO review shows that the current clinical pipeline is still insufficient to mitigate the threat of antimicrobial resistance.

JPIAMR contributes to finding solutions to the challenges presented by WHO. JPIAMR is processing current and future calls that funds research on the very challenges highlighted in the report. Among with several ground breaking activities.

WHO points out:

  • More investments needed in basic science, drug discovery and clinical development.
  • Most of the agents in the pipeline are modifications of existing antibiotic classes. They are only short term solutions as they usually cannot overcome multiple existing resistance mechanisms and do not control the growing number of pan-resistant pathogens.
  • More innovative products are required against pathogens with no cross- or co-resistance to existing classes.
  • Although oral formulations for community diseases associated with high morbidity are essential globally, few oral antibiotics for infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens are in the pipeline.

As of May 2017, a total of 51 antibiotics (including combinations) and 11 biologicals were in the clinical pipeline with 42 new therapeutic entities (33 antibiotics and nine biologicals) that target priority pathogens, seven products for tuberculosis (TB) and nine for C.difficile infections (seven antibiotics and two biologicals) . The qualitative analysis shows a lack of potential treatment options for priority resistant bacteria, especially for multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens.

The full report is now available,  please click here to view it.

India, South Africa and Egypt are New Members of JPIAMR

Anders BjersNews and press

JPIAMR Becomes Global Collaborative Platform on Antimicrobial Resistance

On 29 June 2017, India, South Africa and Egypt was accepted as a new members of the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR). Now 26 countries are members of the global collaborative platform and involved in the mission to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

” Antimicrobial Resistance is a serious threat that must be acted on globally, and we are delighted to expand the collaborative platform to include India, South Africa and Egypt” said Carlos Segovia, Chair of the JPIAMR Management Board. “Having India as a member means that the world’s second largest country acknowledges JPIAMR as a key platform for harnessing antimicrobial resistance. With South Africa and Egypt as active members participating in calls, that shows they too believe in JPIAMR as a unique global platform that truly advances AMR research and results. We welcome their capacities and capabilities to further strengthen and define the common Strategic Research Agenda that members of JPIAMR develop. Now we all work together”, concludes Segovia.

The new EC Action Plan on AMR outlines JPIAMR as a key mechanism for global collaboration, coordinating calls and for aligning a strategic research agenda to tackle AMR. Now JPIAMR is a global platform were countries come together as members because they trust the organisation. Member countries wants to be part of multilateral calls and there is no other platform on AMR, in the world.

For more information, please contact the JPIAMR secretariat at the Swedish Research Council in Stockholm.

Download: Press Release JPIAMR New Members to Global Platform on AMR 170629.

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Point of contact for media inquiries:

Mr. Anders Bjers, Communications Manager JPIAMR

E-mail: anders.bjers@vr.se

Direct: +46-8-546 44 068

Mobile: +46-73-344 03 77

 

 

20 Transnational Research Projects enters next step of fifth Call

Anna SundinNews and press

Now twenty transnational research projects are invited to submit full applications within the JPIAMRs fifth Joint Call on Prevention and Intervention Strategies to control AMR infections.

Earlier this year the JPIAMR announced its fifth joint call on “Prevention and Intervention Strategies to control AMR infections”. As the deadline for submitting a pre-proposal passed on March 21st, 53 transnational consortia had submitted applications. After evaluation by a panel of international reviewers, twenty of the projects have been invited to submit a full application. The deadline for the full application is on July 4th. For more information, please visit the call page.

Facts about the fifth joint call:

The JPIAMR, in partnership with fifteen countries: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, launched a fifth joint call for transnational research Projects.

The call targets research in the following topic:

Comparison of prevention, control and intervention strategies for AMR infections through multidisciplinary studies, including One Health approaches.

G20 Health Ministers Points Out JPIAMR as Key Initiative to Support

Anna SundinNews and press

When the G20 Health Ministers recently met in Germany, AMR was at the very top of their agenda. Germany who holds the G20 presidency described it as an” important breakthrough”, that all nations agreed to address the growing antibiotic resistance in the world.

In the declaration from the meeting, the G20 Health Ministers pointed out JPIAMR as one of the key initiatives to support, by concluding “we commit to broaden the voluntary financial support for these initiatives. We call on other countries, philanthropic organizations, academia and the private sector to support these initiatives”.

JPIAMR support new evidence and innovations that reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance through coordinated global collaborative research in Europe and around the world. Also aiming to undertake further research to better understand how resistance develops and spreads in the environment. And to develop diagnostic tools and better surveillance methods as well as validating smarter strategies for using antibiotics in healthcare and agriculture. Today 24 countries have joined JPIAMR as members. The collaborative platform is now internationally recognized.

Please follow this link to read the whole statement from the G20 Health Minister meeting in Germany on May 19, 2017. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/fileadmin/Dateien/3_Downloads/G/G20-Gesundheitsministertreffen/G20_Health_Ministers_Declaration_engl.pdf

AMR Call from Southeast Asia – Europe Joint Funding Scheme for Research and Innovation (SEA-EU-NET)

Anna SundinNews and press

AMR Call from Southeast Asia – Europe Joint Funding Scheme for Research and Innovation (SEA-EU-NET)

The JPIAMR members Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey participate in a joint call with the South-East Asian countries Cambodia, Lao PDR, The Phillipines, Thailand, and Vietnam within the framework of the EU-funded project SEA-EU-NET.

The call cover over the thematic areas of Health (Anti-microbial drug resistance, Emerging infectious diseases), Environment/ Climate Change (Adaptation/Resilience of food production systems, Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystems/Biodiversity) with aim to enhance bi-regional co-operation and develop new partnerships as well as strengthen existing ones.

Deadline for submission: 30 June 2017, 18.00 CET

For more information on the call and application, please see:

Southeast Asia – Europe Joint Funding Scheme for Research and Innovation