The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) announced today that with their partners St George’s University of London and the Paediatric Infectious Disease Network (Penta), they have completed recruitment for their neonatal sepsis observational study. The observational study has recruited more than 3,200 newborns across 19 sites in 11 countries.

Reaching this important milestone was made possible thanks to strong partnerships, including with funders who invest in the GARDP vision to ensure that all infections are treatable for everyone, everywhere

The observational study, one of the largest ever focused on neonatal sepsis, will provide evidence to fill knowledge gaps, help transform treatment and save lives. Results of the study will be released later this year.

Newborns are a vulnerable population as their underdeveloped immune systems struggle to fight infections. Within hours, a baby with sepsis, an infection of the bloodstream, can be in a life-threatening situation. This is complicated by drug resistance, with up to 40% of bacterial infections in babies resistant to standard treatments. Despite the huge numbers of babies affected by sepsis, our understanding of how to treat them is limited. GARDP is responding to this critical blind spot through work to update knowledge and guidance, alongside the development of new treatments.

Learn more about GARDP’s children’s antibiotics programme