German network against antimicrobial resistance launched
Antibiotics crisis: public research and private sector work together on solutions
New antibiotics are urgently needed to counter the rapidly increasing spread of resistance. The German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR) was founded to promote the development of new, resistance-breaking antibiotics and the necessary political willingness to act.
The aim of the DNAMR is to accelerate the development, implementation and use of new active substances by sensibly linking research funding and market incentives. Thereby, research funding (push) will be linked with market incentives (pull), and basic and clinical research will be strengthened. At the same time, the network will help to create incentives for pharmaceutical companies so that the latter are more willing to invest in new antibiotics in the future.
The DNAMR makes three demands:
1) Strengthen the pipeline of publicly funded research and development projects for antibiotics: Current efforts in basic research for antibiotics must be sustained and strengthened to discover and further develop new classes of active compounds.
2) Transfer resistance-breaking active substances into drugs as quickly as possible and with the most favourable benefit-risk ratio (translational medicine).
3) Develop and implement market-based incentive mechanisms to promote new antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs. Although resistance-breaking reserve antibiotics should only be used when standard treatment for an infection is not effective due to resistance, their development, production, and supply must make economic sense to investors. Funding for reserve antibiotics—in both hospital and outpatient settings—must also be ensured through timely and adequate financial reimbursement.
Who stands behind the DNAMR
The German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR) is an association of organisations, institutions, companies, legal entities and natural persons from science, medical care and the health care industry who are committed to the development of new, resistance-breaking antibiotics. Representatives in the network are from the BEAM Alliance (Biotech companies in Europe combatting AntiMicrobial resistance), the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), the Global AMR R&D Hub, the German Society of Infectious Diseases (DGI), the Paul Ehrlich Society (PEG), and the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa).
For more information, please see the factsheet below and visit our website at http://www.dnamr.de/ (coming soon).
Contact:
German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR)
Secretariat: Rhan Gunderlach/Annette Hornung
Leibnizstrasse 28
10625 Berlin
T. 030 236 246 02/03
E-mail
Next DNAMR event date:
Panel discussion: No/A future without antibiotics! National solution approaches to a global challenge
Date: May 31, 2022, 7:00 p.m.
Place: German Bundestag, service restaurant, Dorotheenstr. 100, 10117 Berlin.
If you are interested to join, please let us know and we will be happy to send you an invitation.
---------------------------
Factsheet: German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR)
Background
According to the estimate of an international group of researchers, 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 were directly or indirectly attributable to infections with resistant bacteria. Due to the increasing number of resistant bacterial pathogens, the G7 calls it a creeping pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns of the greatest global threat to mankind.
Despite this, worldwide development and research into new antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs has declined sharply. There is a great need for antibiotics in terms of new mechanisms of action or additional efficacy against resistant bacteria. New developments should either combat resistance and/or provide novel treatment options for previously untreated pathogens. Special focus is placed on the needs of particularly vulnerable populations, such as children and new-borns, as well as elderly people with pre-existing conditions and the chronically ill.
In addition, for already approved resistance-breaking antibiotics (so-called "reserve antibiotics"), their rapid availability and use in countries with high disease burden and weak healthcare systems must be better ensured. Attention must also be paid to resistance and resistance mechanisms to antibiotics already in use, as only the careful considerate use of antibiotics can prevent the development of resistance.
To address this, a partnership approach between the public and private sectors is needed. At the same time, basic research, clinical studies of phases I and II up to the implementation of new methods in everyday medical practice must be revitalised in public research projects and up to privately financed product developments (translational medicine).
Our challenges
The German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR) is convinced that suitable instruments have already been identified, but that they must be applied consistently. Both push (research funding) and pull (market incentives) measures should be used to stimulate and strengthen basic and clinical research on the one hand, and to create incentives for pharmaceutical companies to invest in new antibiotics on the other. The entire ecosystem of research and development of new antibiotics needs to be put on a new footing and strengthened.
- Strengthening of the pipeline of publicly funded antibiotic research and development projects: Current efforts in basic antibiotic research must be maintained, sustained, and further strengthened to discover and develop new classes of compounds.
- Transferring effective substances into drugs that are as easy to use as possible with a favourable risk-benefit ratio and their application (translational medicine).
- Developing market-based incentive mechanisms to promote new antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs: Although resistance-breaking reserve antibiotics should only be used when standard treatment for an infection is ineffective due to resistance, their development, production, and supply must be economical for investors. Therefore, market-based incentive mechanisms need to be introduced as soon as possible. In addition, the reimbursement of reserve antibiotics must be ensured not only for the outpatient sector but also for hospitals through timely and adequate reimbursement.
Our goals
The goal of the German Network against Antibiotic Resistance (DNAMR) is
- to inform German politicians in particular about the urgency of the issue, to raise awareness, jointly find suitable solutions and make recommendations for specific measures to be taken by politicians;
- to motivate politicians to strengthen the entire economic system of research and development of new antibiotics in such a way that ten to fifteen new antibiotics are developed and brought to market in the next 15 years.
Our members
DNAMR is a voluntary association of organisations, institutions, companies, legal entities and individuals committed to the development of new resistance-breaking antibiotics. Representatives come from the BEAM Alliance (Biotech companies in Europe combating AntiMicrobial resistance), the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), the Global AMR R&D Hub, the German Society for Infectiology (DGI), the Paul Ehrlich Society for Infection Therapy (PEG), the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa).
Our tasks
The German Network against Antimicrobial Resistance (DNAMR)
- informs about antibiotic resistances and supports the professional exchange on possible support measures in social groups in order to come to joint and consistent efforts and to enlarge the supporter network;
- produces fact-based information to educate policy makers, administrators and the public about mechanisms to develop new antibiotics;
- presents practice models and approaches that benefit antibiotic development and makes them available to relevant decision makers and the general public in appropriate ways;
- exchanges ideas with other organisations worldwide with similar objectives, e.g. World Health Organisation (WHO), Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AMR Action Fund.
