Antibiotic Innovation Shrinks as Drug-Resistant Infections Rise Globally, says New Report

The article highlights promising projects identified in the report targeting areas where few new antibiotics have been developed in past decades, some of which have already received regulatory approval. It notes gepotidacin, developed by GSK – the first new oral antibiotic class for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in nearly 30 years, and Innoviva’s zoliflodacin, a new oral treatment option for gonorrhoea.

However, it also highlights that current progress is not enough to offset the broader decline in antimicrobial innovation, noting that the pipeline of new antibiotics from large research-based pharmaceutical companies has shrunk by 35% since 2021.

It also mentions the report’s finding that small and medium-sized enterprises are contributing significantly to antibiotic innovation, as larger companies scale back investment in infectious disease research due to high costs and limited financial returns.

Jaysree K. Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, is quoted: “We can tilt the battle against superbugs in humanity’s favour. Our findings show practical approaches that can accelerate progress across the board.”