INCATE supports the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (green) are among the dreaded hospital germs that are often multidrug-resistant.
Multidrug-resistant bacteria are spreading worldwide, and new antibiotics and strategies against deadly infectious diseases are urgently needed. With INCATE (INCubator for Antibacterial Therapies in Europe), a consortium is now being launched to boost the development of new drugs. Partners from the academic, industrial and public sectors are working together to accomplish this task. One of the founding members is the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).
More and more drugs are failing against resistant bacteria. New antibiotics are urgently needed, but there is a huge gap between basic research and industrial implementation of new treatment options. Bridging them is the declared goal of INCATE. “We actually see this partnership as an incubator in the sense that new ideas can be hatched”, explains Dr Timo Jäger, Managing Director of the DZIF and thus one of the founding members of the cooperation. “Pooling our resources allows us to specifically promote promising approaches and support spin-offs in this area.”
In addition to the DZIF, the academic founding members also include the research association InfectControl in Germany, the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research AntiResist and the University of Basel. Together with supporters from industry and other organisations, they want to ensure that the pipeline of new antibiotics is filled and strengthened. Expert advice, building of a community supporting ventures´ development and targeted funding are the three tools with which INCATE aims to achieve this goal.
Initially, the consortium will focus on therapeutics, but applications in better diagnostics and other valuable tools that help to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are welcome. INCATE is open to other organizations that want to support this goal.
