Need For A Global Strategy To Develop New Antibiotics

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry;  MRSA / Drug Resistance
Article Date: 04 Dec 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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In this week´s The Lancet, an editorial supports the recent calls for a universal effort in developing new antibiotics. It reports that prospects for replacing current antimicrobial drugs are reduced. According to the report "Bad Bugs, No Drugs: No ESKAPE!" published in January, 2009, by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), since 2006 only one single new antibacterial (doripenem) has been approved in the USA. Equally discouraging, a recent EU report revealed that just fifteen antibacterial drugs offering a potential benefit over existing drugs are in development. In addition, only five have reached phase 3 clinical trials.

The editorial states: "Pharmaceutical companies may not perceive development of antimicrobial drugs to be attractive - owing perhaps to a clinical need restricted to short courses of therapy, and the likelihood that the drugs' useful lives will be truncated by resistance."

The editorial backs up the recent challenge by IDSA to the USA and EU to develop ten new licensed antibiotics within the next ten years, dubbed the 10 / '20 Initiative. This call followed a summit held on Nov 2-3 in Washington, DC. At this event, US President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the EU, established a transatlantic task force to promote research and development of new antimicrobial drugs. The editorial says in closing: "A global strategy is badly needed to enact the 10 / '20 Initiative and create a stable research infrastructure for antimicrobial development. How much money will be available, who will provide it, and how will academic and company researchers work together to surmount obstacles in drug development? Leadership from WHO could help to lift this issue up the public health agenda."

"Urgently needed: new antibiotics"
The Lancet
Vol 374 December 5, 2009

Written by Stephanie Brunner (B.A.)
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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