A novel pre-clinical antibacterial pipeline database

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery and Development

Background:

• The clinical pipeline for new antibiotics is insufficient to combat rising antimicrobial resistance.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) identified priority pathogens requiring urgent development of new antibacterial treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze the global antibacterial preclinical pipeline.
• To provide a comprehensive database of ongoing preclinical antibacterial research and development.

Main Methods:

• The WHO conducted a systematic review of the preclinical antibacterial pipeline.
• Data on identified antibacterial agents and developing institutions were compiled into a publicly accessible database.

Main Results:

• The database includes 252 unique antibacterial agents in preclinical development.
• These agents are being developed by 145 institutions, predominantly smaller biotech companies and academic centers.
• The preclinical pipeline exhibits significant innovation, with numerous non-traditional approaches being explored.

Conclusions:

• Despite innovation, the preclinical pipeline faces challenges in advancing agents to clinical development.
• Shifting market dynamics and novel incentive models are crucial for the successful development of new antibacterials.