New Alliance to Drive and Measure Industry Progress to Curb Antimicrobial Resistance

• New Industry Alliance brings together research-based pharmaceutical companies, generics, biotech and diagnostic companies, to drive and measure industry progress to curb antimicrobial resistance.
• The AMR Industry Alliance will ensure that signatories collectively deliver on the commitments made in the Declaration (January 2016) and the Roadmap (September 2016) and will measure industry’s progress in the fight against AMR.
• The Alliance will develop a reporting mechanism to track progress, identify gaps and set targets for the future. Its progress reports will also help to assess what are the key hurdles impeding actions outside of industry’s sole control on reducing antimicrobial resistance and facilitate collaboration between the public and private sector.

Berlin, 18 May 2017– Speaking at the B20 Health Conference in Berlin, IFPMA Director-General Thomas Cueni announced the launch of the AMR Industry Alliance, which will help give impetus to the life-sciences industry efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance.

The threat of antimicrobial resistance causing drug-resistant infections is now more urgent than ever. It is estimated that, unless action is taken, the burden of deaths from antimicrobial resistance could be as high as 10 million lives each year by 2050 – more than cancer. Without effective treatments like antibiotics, or prevention measures like vaccines, the most common health conditions or interventions would become more dangerous, and infections resistant to antibiotics would affect people from all ages.

The scale of the challenge of tackling antimicrobial resistance may seem daunting, but has certainly galvanised action. The life-sciences industry has been a longstanding partner in finding sustainable solutions to the problem. In an unprecedented effort, over 100 companies and trade associations signed the Industry Declaration on AMR at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2016, followed by the adoption of a Roadmap by a number of pharmaceutical companies at the UN High-Level Meeting on later that year. They set out a common set of principles for global action that focus on reducing the development of antimicrobial resistance, invest in R&D to meet public health needs and improve access to antibiotics, vaccines and diagnostics.

The AMR Industry Alliance ties these two initiatives and brings together a wide-range of stakeholders from research-based pharmaceutical companies, generics, diagnostics, and biotech companies, and associations representing these industries. The AMR Industry Alliance will ensure that signatories collectively deliver on the specific commitments made in the Declaration and the Roadmap and will measure progress made in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

One of the initial key objectives of the Alliance will be to develop a reporting mechanism to track progress, identify gaps and set targets for the future. This will increase accountability from industry and inform decision-making at global level. The first progress report will be launched in 2018 at the World Economic Forum in Davos for the 2 year anniversary of the Declaration. The Alliance will show how – from Davos 2016 to Davos 2018 – industry has been delivering on its commitments and demonstrating this through concrete actions, by adopting a more practical approach and leading by example to curb antimicrobial resistance.

Hosted at IFPMA, the Alliance will establish and implement an advisory group to inform industry on actions it should take to reach the Declaration and Roadmap’s commitments. While the emphasis will be on the life-sciences industry’s activities, the Alliance will also assess and facilitate partnerships to support continued progress by all the stakeholders, including governments, needed to combat AMR.

“I am pleased to announce the launch of this Alliance at the B20 Health Conference, where the focus is on the role global business can play in finding sustainable solutions to curb antimicrobial resistance. The AMR Industry Alliance will create a broad industry momentum and facilitate the collaboration between the public and private sectors. Only by working together can we strive for real change”, said Thomas Cueni, IFPMA Director-General.

Additional partners quotes

Steve Bates, the Vice-Chair of the International Council of Biotech Associations (ICBA) “Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) stand ready to be powerful innovators to develop new and pioneering medicines adding to our arsenal of antimicrobial drugs”. Jim Greenwood, President and CEO, Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) added: “The formation of the AMR Industry Alliance further underscores the deep dedication of the biopharmaceutical industry to address the growing global crisis of antimicrobial resistance. BIO and our member companies are eager to engage with the Alliance to ensure that the commitments and vision laid forth in the Davos Declaration are most effectively realized”.

Adrian van den Hoven, Director General, Medicines for Europe: “To ensure that antibiotic medicines remain effective for patients, we need rational prescribing and better information on use for patients. But we can do more. Value added medicines can help patients comply with the treatment course and can provide more options for doctors to deal with resistant patients. We also need to maintain sufficient manufacturing capacity with equal market conditions to secure and stay ahead of technological developments. The AMR Industry Alliance offers an opportunity to engage constructively on these solutions with policy makers and stakeholders”.

Andrew Fish, Executive Director, AdvaMedDx: “We are pleased to join the AMR Industry Alliance representing manufacturers of diagnostic tests, as a coordinated global response to combat antibiotic resistance is key in turning around this public health crisis. Diagnostic tests are an underutilized resource in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, and the formation of this Alliance is an important step in helping to educate patients, providers and others on the value of diagnostic tests and improve appropriate use of these tests around the world”.

About IFPMA

IFPMA represents research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. The research-based pharmaceutical industry’s 2 million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that improve the life of patients worldwide. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health. IFPMA advocates policies and practices that encourage the discovery of and access to life-saving and life-enhancing medicines and vaccines, for people everywhere.

For further information, please contact

Morgane De Pol
IFPMA
Manager, Communications & Public Affairs
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +41 22 338 32 20

Daniel Seaton
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Director, Health Communications
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1.202.470.5207

Doris Casares
Medicines for Europe
Communications Director
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +32 (0)2 736 84 11

Elyse Petroni
AdvaMed
Director, Digital Advocacy and Social Media
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 202-434-7271