In a significant collaborative effort to combat antimicrobial resistance, Innovate UK, LifeArc, and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) have combined to launch the £30m funded PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy) initiative.
This landmark collaboration marks a pivotal moment in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with PACE offering a lifeline to early-stage innovators striving to save lives through novel antimicrobial solutions.
PACE’s inaugural funding call makes available up to £10 million in financial support to individuals and teams dedicated to developing groundbreaking antimicrobial agents.
As the UK’s most extensive public-private undertaking aimed at the early stages of antimicrobial drug and diagnostic discovery, PACE is committed to selecting, investing in, and nurturing projects aimed at confronting the world’s most menacing pathogens.
The initiative’s primary objective is to catalyse innovation that will bring these solutions closer to clinical trials, offering a powerful response to antimicrobial resistance with a pandemic-style focus, thus facilitating much-needed breakthroughs in early translational science.
Commenting on the announcement, Professor Dame Sally Davies said: “I have always been clear that antimicrobial resistance is one the most severe global health threats that we face globally.
“I firmly believe that the development of new effective, affordable and equitably accessible antibiotics and rapid diagnostics is not just a medical necessity but a global imperative.
“I am delighted that through PACE, Medicines Discovery Catapult, Life Arc and Innovate UK will give our science community the greater ability to break down the technical, financial and regulatory barriers that have prevented the breakthroughs that our modern medical systems rely on.”
Antimicrobial resistance could cause ten million deaths annually
Antimicrobial resistance ranks among the top ten global health threats, with forecasts suggesting that by 2050, AMR could claim the lives of as many as ten million individuals annually, a number surpassing the entire population of London.
The economic ramifications are equally colossal, as the World Bank anticipates that the healthcare costs associated with AMR could reach a staggering $3.5bn per year from 2015 to 2050.
The complexity of AMR is underscored by the relentless evolution of bacteria and other microbes, becoming increasingly resistant to treatment, largely due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
The alarming fact remains that there are insufficient existing drugs or drugs in development to effectively combat these resistant infections.
Shockingly, half of the antibiotics prescribed today were discovered in the 1950s, with only one new class unearthed since the 1980s, creating an urgent imperative to expand the arsenal of antimicrobial tests and treatments.
Stéphane Maikovsky, Interim CEO at LifeArc, said: “Antimicrobial Resistance is a growing and serious problem for which we need to develop solutions urgently.
“Not only are millions of lives at risk, but with potential impacts on the cost of healthcare and people’s ability to work, it could force even more people into poverty, with low- and middle-income countries most at risk.
“PACE is part of LifeArc’s wider commitment to address challenges in global health. It will bring together the brightest and best in the UK life sciences sector to help tackle this rising threat to global health.”
How will PACE combat this global health threat?
PACE symbolises a strategic partnership between three stalwarts in the UK’s health innovation and research landscape, harnessing their unique expertise to galvanise the global AMR community into action.
The initiative brings together the requisite funding, resources, and collaborations to expedite the progress of early-stage antimicrobial drug and diagnostics projects, providing invaluable support and confidence to innovators and maximising the chances of success for the most promising AMR innovations.
Recognising the imperative for innovative strategies to combat AMR, PACE draws inspiration from lessons learned in other medical disciplines, such as cancer and COVID-19.
These fields have witnessed transformative advancements in diagnosis and treatment in recent years, which PACE aims to leverage in its AMR battle.
The initiative promises comprehensive support for a diverse array of funded projects with the highest transformative potential, encompassing targeted treatments, rapid diagnostics, and other pioneering developments within the scientific community.
Through PACE, the scientific community stands to gain invaluable support, enabling the UK to play a pivotal role in fortifying the pipeline of tests and treatments for AMR, cementing its status as a global leader in life sciences, and ultimately delivering improved patient outcomes.
With PACE in motion, there is newfound hope in the battle against one of the most formidable global health threats of our time.
