Clostridioides difficile, commonly known as C. diff, is a significant health threat in the U.S. Recent estimates suggest that C. diff, a common bacteria, can cause infection in roughly 500,000 patients annually in the U.S., with around 30,000 of these cases resulting in death. “Actually, it’s more like 5 million when you think about it in terms of people at risk,” estimated Brian Finrow, founder and CEO of Lumen Bioscience, a biotech specializing in developing novel biologics. C. diff infection (CDI) is especially prevalent and dangerous in the immunocompromised elderly patients who are hospitalized or have been in nursing homes for long periods. “It’s a huge cost driver,” Finrow. Annual U.S. costs tied to CDI have eclipsed $6 billion per year. The infection is especially prevalent and dangerous in the elderly. Complicating matters further, recurrent CDI infections are common, affecting anywhere from 20% to 35% of patients with an initial infection.
A s…Combatting the rise of antimicrobial resistance
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria. [Image courtesy of NIH]
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat that, without intervention, could lead to as many as 10 million deaths annually by 2050.1 Unfortunately, the development of new antibiotics that could combat this risk is a significantly underinvested area, with few new treatments in the pipeline, and other therapy areas currently offering more attractive opportunities for investors. The Basel area in Switzerland is emerging as a leading region for pioneering research into new antimicrobial therapies, thanks to a spirit of innovation, cooperation and collaboration between investors, pharma, biotech, and health organizations. This article highlights the novel approaches to drug-resistant infections emerging from Basel. It discusses how stakeholders across the industry must play their part in finding a solution to the worldwide ch…GSK to invest £1 billion on infectious disease research
GSK plc (NYSE:GSK) has announced its plans to spend £1 billion over the next ten years on R&D focused on infectious diseases that disproportionately affect lower-income countries.
Diseases covered in the research will include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The HIV focus will be through ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture involving GSK, Pfizer and Shionogi.
The R&D initiative will have a “ring-fenced” budget, with results gauged by their impact on health rather than profit, Thomas Breuer, GSK’s chief global health officer, told Bloomberg.
“I am delighted to renew our commitment to global health research for the coming decade, consistent with our purpose to unite our science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together and our ambition to deliver health impact at scale,” said Thomas Breuer, GSK chief global health officer, in a news release.
Last year, GSK re…
The transformation of precision medicine in infectious disease
Phage image courtesy of Locus Biosciences
Before Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, another more selective antibacterial agent rose to popularity in the early 1900s: bacteriophage.
In 1917, microbiologist Felix d’Herelle was tasked with identifying the cause of a dysentery outbreak impacting French troops. From his research, he noticed that Shigella bacteria was the primary culprit of this affliction. He then discovered an invisible microorganism that targeted and eliminated the dysentery bacillus, or rod-shaped bacteria, which he eventually named ‘bacteriophage’ (also known by the shorthand ‘phage’) for its supposed bacteria-eating capabilities. D’Herelle would later apply this knowledge to successfully treat children suffering from severe dysentery at the Hospital des Enfants Malades in Paris and create cures for other pathogens like cholera and typhoid. Encouraged by d’Herelle’s contributions and si…