STAT+: The state of antibiotic development: ‘Deplorable comes to mind’
Since launching four years ago with industry backing, the AMR Action Fund has closed on 10 investments for antibiotics and antifungals.
Four years ago, an ambitious pharmaceutical industry venture to tackle antibiotic resistance launched to acquire or invest in small companies that can develop two to four novel antibiotics by 2030 — and replenish the global supply chain with needed treatments. The effort began with $1 billion in backing from several large drugmakers, the European Investment Bank and Wellcome Trust.
Since then, the AMR Action Fund has closed 10 investments and hopes to complete as many as 10 more by the end of next year. Despite the progress, though, antibiotic development otherwise remains meager. We spoke with Henry Skinner, who has headed the AMR Fund since it began, about the outlook for taming antibiotic resistance. This is an edited version of our conversation.
Before we get into the issues, tell us about what the AMR has been doing.
