A groundbreaking $50 million investment has been announced to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
The initiative, launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome, aims to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for drug-resistant bacterial infections, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide.
The new program, dubbed the Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI), will function as a collaborative consortium, bringing together funders, research institutions, and industry partners to share data and drive innovation in antibiotic development. This marks the first major investment under a $300 million global health research and development partnership established by the three organizations last year.
A Global Health Crisis
AMR is a dire global health threat, directly responsible for an estimated 1.14 million deaths annually and contributing to an additional 4.71 million deaths each year. The economic and social costs are equally staggering, particularly in LMICs, where access to effective treatments remains limited.
“The AMR crisis continues to grow. We urgently need effective solutions to prevent a future of few to no treatments for drug-resistant infections,” said Alexander Pym, director of infectious disease at Wellcome. “Accelerating the discovery of new types of antibiotics and finding new ways to kill bacteria is key to tackling this global threat and protecting those in regions with the highest burden, such as Africa and Asia. Our best chance is to collaborate on innovative new approaches to antibiotic development.”
Focus on Gram-Negative Bacteria
The Gr-ADI initiative will specifically target Gram-negative bacteria, a family of pathogens known for their resistance to antibiotics. These bacteria, including Klebsiella spp. and other Enterobacteriaceae, are responsible for some of the most challenging infections, particularly in healthcare settings.
“Bacterial AMR is such a significant global health issue that we must speed up innovation and try new ways of working together,” said Marianne Holm, vice president of infectious diseases at the Novo Nordisk Foundation. “Through the Gr-ADI program, grant recipients will not only focus on their projects but will also become integral members of a consortium dedicated to data sharing. For many researchers involved in this program, it will be a new way of working, but we believe that it can make a big difference as we search for new discoveries.”
Addressing Disparities in Access
The burden of AMR is disproportionately felt in LMICs, where healthcare systems are often ill-equipped to manage drug-resistant infections. Iruka Okeke, professor of pharmaceutical microbiology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of the situation.
“Patients in Nigeria, where I live and work, and in other settings across Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean, do not have access to effective treatments and are also not well-placed to benefit from antimicrobial resistance innovations in the pipeline,” Okeke said. “Moreover, Africa has the highest infectious disease burden, and resistant organisms spread rapidly across the continent, predominantly affecting the most vulnerable. This is why efforts like the Gr-ADI to innovate solutions to combat AMR caused by bacteria that disproportionately impact countries in Africa and other LMICs are so important.”
A Collaborative Approach to Innovation
Projects funded through the Gr-ADI program will be selected via a request for proposals (RFP) hosted on the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges platform, a longstanding initiative that has fostered innovation in global health and development for over two decades. The RFP will prioritize the discovery of broad-spectrum antibiotics effective against Enterobacteriaceae, with a particular focus on Klebsiella spp., a pathogen of critical concern.
A Broader Vision for Global Health
The Gr-ADI initiative is part of a larger $300 million partnership aimed at addressing pressing health challenges in LMICs. Beyond AMR, the collaboration will focus on areas such as climate and sustainability, infectious diseases, and the interplay between nutrition, immunity, and non-communicable diseases.