Geneva, 19 May 2023 – Representatives from the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), WHO and GARDP met in Geneva on 11 May, as part of the first Project Steering Committee meeting, to kick-off the new action focusing on countering the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

HERA is providing WHO and GARDP with € 8 million to fund the AMR action over the next three years to ensure sustainable access to AMR treatments and promote their responsible use and affordability, while also driving research and prioritization of the search for new antimicrobials.

As part of this action, GARDP will receive € 5 million for its late-stage clinical development, regulatory and access activities focusing on serious bacterial infections, sexually transmitted infections and children’s antibiotics.

“We very much welcome HERA’s support to GARDP as it underscores the European Union’s commitment to countering antimicrobial resistance, one of the top ten global health threats facing the planet,” said Manica Balasegaram, GARDP’s Executive Director. “The HERA funding will allow GARDP to carry out the first-ever clinical trial evaluating new combination treatments for neonatal sepsis, and advance the development of a new treatment for gonorrhoea and another new treatment for serious bacterial infections in adults and children.”

WHO will allocate € 2 million to support R&D activities and the remaining € 1 million to support SECURE – a joint WHO-GARDP initiative to accelerate access to essential antibiotics.

“Collaboration with key partners strengthens global health security and ultimately ensures better protection against health threats,” said Pierre Delsaux, Head of HERA. “HERA is pleased to be working closely with GARDP and WHO, to progress the development of new medical countermeasures for tackling antimicrobial resistance, one of the three priority cross-border health threats identified by HERA.”

HERA’s contribution to GARDP is part of a new partnership between the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO) under the EU4Health programme to boost capacities at national, regional, and global levels for better preparedness for and response to health emergencies.

HERA was established in September 2021 as a new Directorate-General at the European Commission, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its mission is to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to health emergencies.

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. GARDP is currently funded by the governments of Australia, Germany, Japan, Monaco, the Netherlands, the Public Health Agency of Canada, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Canton of Geneva, as well as the European Union, Wellcome Trust and private foundations. GARDP is registered under the legal name GARDP Foundation. www.gardp.org