Today, more than 20 leading biopharmaceutical companies are launching the AMR Action Fund, a ground-breaking partnership to invest nearly $1 billion to ensure a robust and diverse pipeline of new medicines to treat drug-resistant infections.
While the COVID-19 pandemic remains at the forefront of our minds, this disease is also exacerbating another increasing area of concern: antimicrobial resistance, or AMR.
To respond to COVID-19, doctors desperate to save patients are using a large amount of antibiotics to treat hospitalized patients at risk for secondary bacterial and fungal infections caused by ventilators or weakened immune systems. Unfortunately, this could speed up superbug growth, and in fact initial data suggests that 1 in 7 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 acquired a dangerous secondary bacterial infection, and 50% of patients who died had such infections.
At the same time as this emerging crisis is growing, research and development for new medicines to address AMR has been dwindling and the current environment for investment is insufficient to achieve a sustainable pipeline.
That’s why our industry is taking action through the AMR Action Fund. This fund aims to bring two to four new antimicrobials to market by 2030, focusing on innovative medicines that address the highest priority public health needs. This industry-driven effort will also work to drive comprehensive policy reforms that are needed to advance new reimbursement methodologies and create incentives that enable appropriate patient access, creating a sustainable ecosystem for antimicrobial R&D and commercialization.
The fund will also provide technical support to emerging companies, giving them access to the deep expertise and resources of large biopharmaceutical companies to strengthen and accelerate the development of novel antimicrobial medicines.
It’s important to note that the fund is a highly collaborative effort involving a broad range of biopharmaceutical companies, philanthropies, development banks and multilateral organizations. Learn more about how we are working together to solve this emerging public health crisis here.
Stephen J. Ubl
Stephen J. Ubl is president and chief executive officer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents America’s leading biopharmaceutical research companies. The U.S. biopharmaceutical sector directly employs more than 800,000 Americans and invests more than $100 billion in research and development annually – more than any other industry in America.
Ubl leads PhRMA’s work preserving and strengthening a health care and economic environment that encourages medical innovation, new drug discovery and access to life-saving medicines. Ubl is recognized around the world as a leading health care advocate and policy expert who collaborates successfully with diverse stakeholder groups – including patient and physician groups, regulators, public and private payers, and global trade organizations – to help ensure timely patient access to innovative treatments and cures. The New York Times writes, “If anyone can find areas of agreement with the critics, or at least work productively with them, it may be Mr. Ubl. He is more conversant with the intricacies of health policy, and more adept at the politics."
Previously, Ubl served as president and CEO of medical technology association AdvaMed, where he helped facilitate landmark reforms related to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration product review process and Medicare’s coverage and reimbursement of medical technologies. He led the industry’s defense of breakthrough R&D, successfully delaying an innovation-stifling device tax, and, in 2013, was recognized by a leading industry publication as one of 10 people to have a lasting impact on the medical technology industry.
Ubl has worked extensively with patient advocacy organizations in health policy, including longstanding service on the board of the National Health Council, a leading umbrella organization for voluntary health care organizations and has been personally involved with JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
He is routinely recognized as one of Washington’s most effective advocates. Ubl has been recognized on Business Insider’s “DC Healthcare Power Players” and Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.” He is identified as a top health influencer by Medical Marketing & Media and PR Week magazines.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveubl/
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Antimicrobial Resistance
New initiative to bridge the gap on antimicrobial innovation
New initiative to bridge the gap on antimicrobial innovation