Drive-AB has €9.4M to develop new business models to promote industry investment in antibiotics and prevent their inappropriate use
A new European initiative to tackle the growing global threat of antibiotic resistance got off the ground with the launch of DRIVE‐AB (Driving Reinvestment in R&D and Responsible Antibiotic Use), a €9.4 million public‐private consortium, funded by the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).
The project aims to define a standard for the responsible use of the dwindling reserve of effective antibiotics, and to develop, test and recommend new economic models for pharmaceutical industry investment in producing new ones.
The World Health Organisation has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to human health. An estimated 25,000 people die each year in the EU from infections that are resistant to multiple drugs.
New forms of resistance continue to emerge and spread, incrementally reducing doctors’ ability to bring infections under control. Despite the recognised and growing need for new antibiotics, only two new classes of antibiotics have been brought to the market in the last three decades, as industry has withdrawn from the antibiotic research and development because it is considered a high‐risk/low‐return market.
DRIVE‐AB brings together partners across 11 European countries from academic institutions, research organisations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Over the next 3 years, partners will combine their experience, expertise and capabilities to create and test new economic models for antibiotic R&D in a bid to reinvigorate investments in this vital area.
Antibiotic stewardship
Simultaneously, the consortium will examine how the efficacy of existing and new drugs can be maintained and preserved by defining their responsible and appropriate use.
The project brings together experience and knowledge spanning all phases of antibiotic R&D, financing, clinical use, antibiotic stewardship, quantitative economic modelling and evaluation of public health policies.
The DRIVE‐AB includes partners and stakeholders with global perspectives and who have the ability to implement outcomes to maximum impact.
Project leader, Stephan Harbarth of the University of Geneva said DRIVE‐AB brings together a unique panel of experts across a range of disciplines including medical, scientific, business and economic sciences and from the clinical, academic and commercial sectors. “The dual crisis of antibiotic resistance and the near empty antibiotic pipeline poses a very real threat to human health. Only collaboration on this scale, involving stakeholders worldwide will be sufficient to address the crisis,” Harbarth said.
The project aims to define a standard for the responsible use of the dwindling reserve of effective antibiotics, and to develop, test and recommend new economic models for pharmaceutical industry investment in producing new ones.
The World Health Organisation has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to human health. An estimated 25,000 people die each year in the EU from infections that are resistant to multiple drugs.
New forms of resistance continue to emerge and spread, incrementally reducing doctors’ ability to bring infections under control. Despite the recognised and growing need for new antibiotics, only two new classes of antibiotics have been brought to the market in the last three decades, as industry has withdrawn from the antibiotic research and development because it is considered a high‐risk/low‐return market.
DRIVE‐AB brings together partners across 11 European countries from academic institutions, research organisations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Over the next 3 years, partners will combine their experience, expertise and capabilities to create and test new economic models for antibiotic R&D in a bid to reinvigorate investments in this vital area.
Antibiotic stewardship
Simultaneously, the consortium will examine how the efficacy of existing and new drugs can be maintained and preserved by defining their responsible and appropriate use.
The project brings together experience and knowledge spanning all phases of antibiotic R&D, financing, clinical use, antibiotic stewardship, quantitative economic modelling and evaluation of public health policies.
The DRIVE‐AB includes partners and stakeholders with global perspectives and who have the ability to implement outcomes to maximum impact.
Project leader, Stephan Harbarth of the University of Geneva said DRIVE‐AB brings together a unique panel of experts across a range of disciplines including medical, scientific, business and economic sciences and from the clinical, academic and commercial sectors. “The dual crisis of antibiotic resistance and the near empty antibiotic pipeline poses a very real threat to human health. Only collaboration on this scale, involving stakeholders worldwide will be sufficient to address the crisis,” Harbarth said.
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