Pipeline of new drugs to fight superbugs is ‘worryingly thin’, experts warn
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Biotechnology & health research· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Access to Medicine Foundation (AMF) and Wellcome Trust reported a 35% shrinkage in the pipeline of new drugs to fight superbugs over the last five years.
Background
The report highlights that while antibiotics like zoliflodacin and gepotidacin received recent approvals, drug resistance could double deaths from resistant infections by 2050. GSK currently leads antimicrobial resistance R&D with 30 projects, alongside investments from Shionogi, Otsuka, and Pfizer.
Facts for Prelims
- FactThe pipeline of new drugs to fight superbugs shrunk by 35% in the last five years.
- S&TZoliflodacin and gepotidacin are antibiotics recently approved to fight superbugs.
- FactGSK leads antimicrobial resistance R&D with 30 projects.
- FactDeaths from resistant infections are projected to potentially double by 2050.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the challenges in the pharmaceutical R&D pipeline for antimicrobial resistance and suggest measures to incentivize private investment in life-saving antibiotics.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Market failure: Low ROI for antibiotics compared to chronic disease drugs leads to private R&D stagnation
- Global health security: Escalating mortality from multi-drug resistant pathogens threatening public health infrastructure
Keywords: Antimicrobial Resistance · Pharmaceutical R&D · Public Health Crisis · Market Failure · Superbugs
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.