Conquering Antimicrobial Resistance is not futile!

We have been reliant on the use of antibiotics to treat microbial infections ever since the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928. However, ever since then bacteria have fought back and found ways to evade them. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the term given to describe when bacteria are no longer able to be destroyed by antibiotics and another methods. AMR is now is truly a global concern, as AMR is outpacing new antibiotic development.

I was extremely pleased therefore to see that this week, that the AMR action fund has announced its first investments in two companies looking to bring new antimicrobial therapies to the market. The AMR fund is a global fund, which expects to invest more than $1 billion and aims to support companies in bringing 2 - 4 new antibiotics to patients by 2030. Whilst that will certainly be a challenge, we need to conquer AMR, otherwise we are on the precipice of a global disaster and deaths due to antimicrobial resistance spiralling out of control. Congratulations to the fund and let's hope that companies get behind them and look to develop new antimicrobial treatments.

Drug-resistant bacterial infections directly kill an estimated 1.27 million people annually. Studies have projected that these infections could kill as many as 10 million people each year by 2050 and cost the global economy $100 trillion.

www.amractionfund.com/...