IFPMA Releases Report on Future Antibiotic Pipeline

May 21, 2024

A new study called “From Resistance to Resilience: Reinforcing the Response to Antimicrobial Resistance” was released by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA). This report, which was released in collaboration with Airfinity, looks ahead to 2033 to see how the antibiotic research pipeline might change. It emphasizes how important it is to make progress because antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is becoming a bigger problem. The World Health Organization says that this resistance is a big threat to global health and is linked to more than 1.2 million direct deaths and 5 million deaths each year around the world.

Understanding Antibiotic Development Scenarios

The IFPMA study lays out two main scenarios based on how economic incentives are put in place and how they affect things. In the first case, where no new incentives are added, after ten years, the antibiotic pipeline has 26 possible treatments, but only six are nearing the end of their research. In the second, more optimistic situation, strong pull incentives are put in place by 2025. This could lead to 72 treatments being developed, with 19 new approvals and 41 treatments in advanced clinical stages.

Impact of Incentives on Health Outcomes

When you look more closely, the report predicts what will happen with health based on these situations. Over the next ten years, the number of diseases caused by critical priority pathogens is expected to rise by 35% in high-income countries if they don’t get new rewards. On the other hand, if successful incentives lead to new antibiotic approvals, the number of diseases could drop by more than 50%, which would be a big step toward improving global health security.

Incentive Models Explained

Two main types of economic rewards can help with antibiotic research: push and pull. Push incentives pay for the early stages of growth, which lowers the risk at the start. According to the report’s findings, pull incentives should be increased to make sure that new antibiotics can get into the market successfully. This is important for late-stage research and market introduction.

Global R&D Focus and the Role of SMEs

Another report, “A Developing Crisis,” from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a think tank in Delhi, talks about the problems that happen a lot in both the pre-clinical and clinical stages of antibiotic research around the world. It shows how important small and medium-sized businesses are to research and development and asks for more policy support to strengthen the antibiotic pipeline successfully.

More About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) arises when microbes evolve mechanisms to withstand drugs meant to kill them. AMR affects not just antibiotics but also antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. Gonorrhea has grown remarkably resistant across several antibiotic classes, not just penicillin. New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), discovered in Japan in 2009, is an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics.
Causes and Consequences of AMR: According to the WHO, AMR threatens the effective prevention of an increasing range of infections. Incorrect dosing and duration of antibiotic treatment contribute to the escalation of AMR. Wastewater from pharmaceutical production can contain high levels of antibiotics, promoting resistance in nearby environments. In agriculture, antibiotic use in animals can transfer resistant bacteria to humans through the food chain. The misuse of antibiotics in the aquaculture industry significantly contributes to AMR.
Efforts to Combat AMR: Efforts to address AMR include the development of new antibiotics. Stewardship programs aim to optimize antibiotic use. Global surveillance systems monitor resistance trends to better understand and combat AMR.

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