Tag: calls

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.

October 2017: Management Board meeting in Stockholm

Anders BjersNews and press

We gathered members of JPIAMR for Management Board meeting in Stockholm on October 10-11. Two dynamic days with member nations represented. Sharing AMR insights and updates on the actions of JPIAMR. Coordination, collaboration, calls and developments in focus.

Many items and areas covered, including welcoming new member South Africa who was represented by Dr. Richard Gordon. The mapping project is underway, continued expansion of JPIAMR, updates from EC and the development of JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute.

Thank you all for making it to Stockholm.