The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) welcomes funding from the Australian Government to support its critical work in developing and delivering treatments for drug-resistant infections.

Australia’s funding of A$300,000 will be used to accelerate research and development of treatments for infections caused by “priority pathogens” identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as urgently in need of new antibiotics.

A recent global study attributed over 1.2 million deaths a year to antibiotic-resistant infections, and this number is projected to increase exponentially without urgent action. The economic impact of antibiotic resistance is also expected to spiral. The World Bank estimates that the global increase in healthcare costs related to antibiotic resistance could range from US $300 billion to more than $1 trillion per year between now and 2050.

While drug-resistant bacteria can infect anyone, it is children, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and those living in countries with weak health systems, who are hit first and hardest. In 2019, one in five people who died due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were children under five years old. Rapid investment in new treatments is urgently needed to counter the growing threat of AMR.

“We appreciate the support of the Australian Government for our work to address the silent pandemic of drug-resistant infections,” said Dr Manica Balasegaram, Executive Director of GARDP. “Our intention is to re-invest the contribution back into Australia, recognising the significant expertise and clinical research infrastructure that can be accessed in Australia to support our global social mission.”

GARDP is a founding participant in the Australian Research Council Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance, based at the Kirby Institute in Sydney, which has an initial focus on drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections. GARDP also serves on the Steering Committee of the Australian AMR Network (AAMRNet).

About GARDP

The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) is a Swiss not-for-profit organization developing new treatments for drug-resistant infections that pose the greatest threat to health. GARDP was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in 2016, and legally founded in 2018, to ensure that everyone who needs antibiotics receives effective and affordable treatment. We aim to develop five new treatments by 2025 to fight drug-resistant infections. GARDP is funded by the governments of Australia, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Canton of Geneva, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières and private foundations. GARDP is registered under the legal name GARDP Foundation.