Tag: AMR

JPIAMR Highlighted in G20 Health Ministers Joint Declaration

Anders BjersNews and press

The 2018 G20 Health Ministerial Meeting in Mar del Plata, Argentina, concluded on October 4th with a joint declaration on concrete health policy proposals.

The document considers health a key aspect for sustainable development and calls for a further strengthening health systems. It also recommends concrete actions to address global issues such as antimicrobial resistance, and with commitments for “increasing the level of awareness on the prudent and responsible use and disposal of antibiotics of all healthcare providers, veterinarians, farmers and food producers and of the general public.”

In the declaration, the G20 also mentions JPIAMR together with GARDP, UNITAD, CARB-X and the TB-Alliance, welcoming the work of these leading international initiatives.

Please view the full declaration here.

Open consultation: JPIAMR is updating the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)

Anders BjersNews and press

Update of the JPIAMR Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda 2018

The JPIAMR recognises that innovation is critically important in the field of AMR, as there is a strong need of new therapeutics, diagnostics, and innovative infection prevention and intervention measures. The JPIAMR is therefore currently refreshing its JPIAMR Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) to take account of recent research findings and to extend the JPIAMR SRA into a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).

The research objectives and research priorities of the JPIAMR SRIA are now open for public consultation. We welcome feedback on the research topics from the AMR community from the 9th of July to the 15th of September (12.00 CET).

For more information and instructions for providing feedback, please click here.

Fourth JPIAMR Network Call Workshop – report and interviews

Anders BjersNews and press

In March researchers gathered in Frankfurt am Main in a final workshop, Maximising Existing and Future Research Efforts and Resource Alignment to Combat AMR, to share some of their activities and findings from research that was supported by funding within the JPIAMR call for networks. Here we present the full workshop report and filmed interviews with some of the funded networks.

The fourth JPIAMR call for networks closed on June 6, 2016. Participating countries in the network call were JPIAMR members: France, Canada, Belgium Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The coordinators from the countries participating in the call created networks of researchers from many different countries and fields of research.

Major Conclusions

  • The Network funding mechanism facilitated the formation of successful networks in all strategic JPIAMR areas.
  • JPIAMR Network funding allowed Networks to carry out a broad range of activities with different outcomes, including white papers/position papers, conferences/workshops, systematic reviews, Standard Operating Procedures, online courses, guidance documents and journal articles, amongst others.

JPIAMR has the One Health approach as an integral part of the Strategic Research Agenda. This is one of the key strengths of JPIAMR and it is reflected in the diversity of the network topics.

The full workshop report can be downloaded here.

About the participating networks

The assembled networks had emphasis on needs at a National and International level to address AMR, within these areas:

  • Guidelines on use (Human & Veterinary) – Affordable stewardship
  • Surveillance in primary care
  • New anti-infective/ New adjuvant therapies / Alternative approaches
  • Evaluation of risk for generation of resistance in human setting
  • Rapid diagnostic tests
  • Role of environmental factors
  • Infrastructures/Biobanks available relevant to infection and AMR

The networks spanned all of the JPIAMR pillars and were mostly multidisciplinary (spanning at least two pillars). A range of sizes of the networks were represented at the workshop.

Interviews with coordinators of some funded JPIAMR Networks

Research Network: Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) and the Spread of Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria

Research Network: INFACT – AMR and Intensive Care Units

Research Network: Rapid Diagnostics

Research Network: AMR Stewardship in Hospitals – What Works?

Report – Countries Should Increase Funding for AMR Research by 50%

Anders BjersNews and press

Today we are reached by the final report from DRIVE-AB with the headline: “Revitalizing the Antibiotic Pipeline“. The context is that “The current pipeline for innovative antibiotics in various stages of R&D is insufficient, potentially delivering no more than one innovative antibiotic for a “critical” World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen within the next five years.”, the report say in the beginning.  A key reason for the DRIVE-AB report is to bring recommendations and guidance in the present context, when we are facing increased antibiotic resistance on a global scale.

One of the main recommendations is that countries should increase funding for AMR.

“Countries should make long-term commitments to continue financing of antibacterial R&D and ideally increase push funding by about 50 per cent.”, states the report.

DRIVE-AB finds that: “There may be capacity within existing multinational grant funding agencies – e.g. CARB-X, GARDP, JPIAMR (Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance) – to absorb and effectively deploy more capital.”

So, we are happy to see that JPIAMR is acknowledged as a key organisation and vehicle, among others,  who are trusted with the mission to fund even more research in order to harness AMR on a global scale. Since JPIAMR is coordinating research and funding for it’s 26 member nations – it fits very well to expand the operations in this direction.

The Drive-AB report continues: “Owing to the existing pipeline, much of this immediate funding should be placed in early- and mid-stage grants until the pipeline becomes more robust. Granting agencies should have specific calls for research targeting pathogens that pose the most urgent public health threats (e.g. WHO’s priority pathogens list for the discovery phase and TPPs for the development phase).”

The ongoing JPIAMR call for “New targets, compounds and tools – innovating against antibiotic resistant bacteria“, is a perfect example how countries are pooling resources and research to collaborate. This call responds to WHOs list of priority pathogens just as the report recommends.

However, funding is linked with the ability to both reach and enable researcher to apply for funds. This is something many more entities in the AMR field could collaborate on to a greater extent. If researchers are not aware of available funds and contexts to support research, we may miss opportunities to support research that can be life changing for the many.

The 6th Transnational Call is Now Open

Anders BjersNews and press

The sixth transnational call for research projects for the JPIAMR within the ERA-NET JPI-EC-AMR

THE CALL IS OPEN

The JPIAMR, in partnership with sixteen member countries; Belgium, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, is launching a sixth joint call for transnational research projects. The total budget of the 6th Call is approx. 14.4 million Euro.

The call targets research in the following topic:

Innovations against antibiotic-resistant bacteria: new targets, compounds and tools. Fundamental, translational research, with the exception of clinical trials.

Call procedure

The 6th Call has a two-step procedure. With a first stage, a pre-proposal submission, from which selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, the second stage. The final funding decision will be announced in October / November 2018.

Deadlines

The pre-proposal submission deadline is March 7, 2018, (17:00, CET).
The full proposal submission deadline is June 14, 2018, (17.00, CET).

Information and application

For more detailed information and links to application process, please visit the page about the 6th Call.

6th Call Secretariat and National Points of Contact

The 6th Call Secretariat is hosted by the French National Research Agency, ANR.

All questions on national rules, eligibility, etc. should be directed to the national contacts, for contact information please visit the page about the 6th Call.

Spread the News

Reach out to researchers in participating countries. Use the template below and link to the page about the 6th call.

The Virtual Research Institute Workshop in Berlin – Outcomes and Actions

Anders BjersNews and press

One of the most interesting developments of the JPIAMR right now is the JPIAMR-VRI; the Virtual Research Institute on AMR. The JPIAMR-VRI is a key to unlock new potentials of AMR research and to be even more inclusive by increasing the diversity of researchers working together on AMR across disciplines, embracing the One Health approach.

From nearly all the continents of the world, with only South-America missing, a diverse crowd representing organisations in Japan, Egypt, South Africa, South Korea, USA, Canada and many European Countries met for two days in Berlin. During this two-day meeting we shared the room with representatives from research organisations, WHO, Wellcome Trust, Pew Charitable Trusts, GardP, IMI, Tatfar, the European Commission, The Global AMR R&D Hub, and CARB-X. The objective of the workshop was clear: To develop the scope, aims and model a JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute – a dynamic network for AMR research. Invited speakers shared examples of research networks that are successful and up and running today. Among them were Wim van der Poel from the Collaborating Veterinary Laboratories (Covetlab), Robert Hancock from the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network (CBDN) and Martin Krönke who shared insights from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).

The outcomes from the workshop can be summarised in two sentences: “Let’s get going” and “to be all inclusive and truly global”. As the focus and model for the VRI became clearer, participants asked for the VRI to have an element of disruption, because AMR research now needs to be addressed in new ways.

The JPIAMR-VRI is a virtual platform to connect research networks and research performing institutes/centres to implement Antimicrobial Resistance One Health collaborative research on the JPIAMR Strategic Research Agenda priority topics by increasing knowledge, diversity, collaborations and capability.

An important aim of the JPIAMR-VRI is to create long-term sustainability of networks; connect existing networks across borders and across disciplines, increase research outcomes; improve capabilities and training; and attract new/young scientists to the AMR field.

Some of the capabilities the VRI will provide and enable are:

  • Connecting AMR researchers under the JPIAMR priority topics in a One Health approach
  • Building capacity and strengthening capability
  • Facilitating access to scientific information and infrastructures
  • Global reach: Bridging geographic borders in the research community
  • Breaking practical barriers between fields of research
  • Increasing the visibility for the AMR issue
  • Driving the uptake of research into policy

Some of the potential outcomes of the JPIAMR-VRI are:

  • Integrating activities among networks: Joint research programmes/work plans across research centres or research networks
  • Develop knowledge gaps and gap analysis based upon and enhancing further the JPIAMR mapping/database of AMR research projects and research centres increasing visibility of the research performed
  • Data sharing
  • Sharing of negative results
  • Scientific evidence for policy and guidelines
  • Exchange programmes between researchers (e.g. fellowship schemes, travel grants etc)
  • Networking activities
  • Educational and training programmes

So, how is all this to be manifested? The JPIAMR member nations will take clear actions to build the foundation for the JPIAMR-VRI. We will implement the actual digital platform and the AMR context in 2018 via workshops, a JPIAMR Network/Working Group call and a variety of other activities.

Please continue to follow us via social media, subscribe to our newsletter and connect with us to follow and engage in the process and progress of manifesting the JPIAMR-VRI.

Pre-announcement of 6th Call – New Targets, Compounds and Tools

Anders BjersNews and press

We are pleased to pre-announce the 6th Joint Call for transnational research projects “New Targets, Compounds and Tools”. To date fifteen countries are participating with a total budget of approximately 13 million Euros. The launch of the 6th Call will be in January, 2018.

This year the WHO published the Global priority pathogen list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to guide research, discovery, and development of new antibiotics (PPL). The 6th joint call for proposals addresses this list, with the aim to discover new targets, compounds, or new tools with the potential to help controlling infections by drug-resistant bacteria identified by the WHO as priority pathogens (including multi- and extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Projects considered for funding will involve fundamental and/or translational One Health research, with the exception of clinical trials.

Participating countries and eligibility

Consortia of eligible scientists from Belgium (FWO), Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Spain (MINECO/ ISCIII), Sweden and Switzerland may apply for funding in this call.* Consortia must include a minimum of three eligible partners from at least three different countries participating in the call, and a maximum of 6 project partners (or 7 if a partner from Czech Republic, Latvia or Poland is included).

* List is provisional – additional countries may join. Final eligibility conditions will be published when call opens.

Read more about the 6th Call on the page about the call.

Download: PRESS RELEASE JPIAMR 6th Joint Call

Contacts

For inquiries about the pre-announcement of the 6th Joint Call, please contact:

Martine Batoux, ANR.

E-mail: Martine.BATOUX@agencerecherche.fr

www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr

For general media inquiries, please contact:

Anders Bjers, Communications Officer JPIAMR.

Telephone: +46 8 546 44 068

E-mail: anders.bjers@vr.se 

Press release: The fifth JPIAMR Joint Call Results

Anders BjersNews and press

We are pleased to announce the results of the JPIAMR 2017 call for transnational research projects “Comparison of prevention, control and intervention strategies for AMR infections through multidisciplinary studies, including One Health approaches”. Within this funding opportunity over EUR 11.5 million have been awarded to 10 projects. Consortia include 47 funded research groups from 11 countries (Canada, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland), and an additional 6 international partners (Czech Republic, Israel, Romania and the USA).

Projects funded in this call have covered topics including One Health interventions for infection control in humans and livestock, transmission to the food chain, and antimicrobial stewardship.

The call was launched in January 2017 by 16 research funding organisations from 15 countries, and attracted 51 consortia applying for nearly EUR 57 million in total, resulting in a success rate of 19.6%.

The final funding decision will depend on national regulations and inspection of the formal proposals by the national funding organisations. Each national funding agency will take a formal decision on the projects to be supported.

Please, download files to view each project awarded with funding.

Download: Results of 5th Call – Table Funded Projects FINAL

Download: Project Summaries for 5th JPIAMR Call

Download:PRESS RELEASE JPIAMR 5th Joint Call FINAL

Contacts

For inquiries regarding the 5th Joint Call, please contact:

Malwina Gębalska

JPIAMR 2017 Call Secretariat

National Science Centre

malwina.gebalska@ncn.gov.pl

Telephone: +48 519 404 997

Jerzy Frączek

JPIAMR 2017 Call Secretariat

National Science Centre

jerzy.fraczek@ncn.gov.pl

Telephone: +48 12 341 9165

For general media inquiries, please contact:

Anders Bjers, Communications Officer JPIAMR.

Telephone: +46 8 546 44 068

E-mail: anders.bjers@vr.se

Network Call Pre-announcement – AMR Surveillance Network

Anders BjersNews and press

JPIAMR Working Groups are motivated groups of leading experts funded in order to enhance resource alignment and pushing forward the new ideas of value to the wider research community. Working groups are coordinated by scientists from participating countries but open to international experts.

Preliminary scope of the call: Improvement, integration, standardisation and impact of surveillance. Methods, integration and impact.

Participating countries, to date: Argentina, France ,Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK. 

Budget: Approx. 50 000 €/network, up to a year.

Publication of call in 2018

Sign up for JPIAMR Newsletter to receive information about the Call.

AMR in focus at G 7 Health Ministers meeting in Milan

Anders BjersNews and press

On November 5 and 6, the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Health took place in Milan, Italy. On the agenda for the second day was antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The discussions focused on crucial topics of global health. The aim of the meeting was among else to coordinate global and concrete actions. In that context, participating Health Ministers expressed that they welcome the establishment of the Global AMR R&D Hub and call to ensure it becomes an effective platform to align and increase global investment in much needed R&D based on WHO recommendations, e.g. the Priority Pathogen List (PPL).  They expressed support for the collaboration of the Global AMR R&D Hub with existing international networks and initiatives like the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR, the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP), CARB-X and the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPIAMR). G7 Health Ministers expressed support for the development of evidence-based strategies, tools and interventions to fight AMR, and sustain research related to the Strategic Objectives of the WHO Global Action Plan. As well as to promote R&D for new antimicrobials, alternative therapies, vaccines and rapid-point-of care diagnostics, in particular for WHO-defined priority pathogens and tuberculosis.

JPIAMR welcomes the G7 Health Ministers focus on global coordination, supported R&D areas and the many dimensions of Antibiotic Resistance, the impacts are real now. The actions of JPIAMRs 26 member nations concerted efforts to meet human needs- and scientific results are tangible today. JPIAMR has merged the shared Strategic Research Agenda with a One Health approach. A crucial component and strategy since antimicrobial resistance do not adhere to any boundaries. In 2018 JPIAMR launches it´s 6th call: Innovation against antibiotic resistant bacteria – New targets, compounds and tools. This as a direct response to the WHO Priority Pathogens List (PPL). Coordinating participating nations resources for funding research that targets the 12 groups of bacteria and drug-resistant tuberculosis listed by WHO.

JPIAMR also welcome the initiative of the Global AMR R&D Hub, working side by side to ensure that innovation is in focus and not duplication. Seeing that a diverse range of research and resources can match and harness AMR as the multidimensional global threat it is.

Working together makes the difference we need – to harness AMR in time.