CF AMR Syndicate Launches £3 million Collaborative Discovery Programme
Funded by the medical research charity LifeArc, the programme will support approximately five collaborative projects that aim to rapidly identify new antimicrobial therapies to treat long term lung infections in people with CF. The Syndicate would like to see proposals that address the recently-published Target Product Profiles for treating CF lung infections.
Researchers interested in applying can register to attend a webinar about the call on Thursday 30 March, the same day the call opens. The call will close for Expressions of Interest on 9 May 2023.
What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?
Everyone with CF needs access to effective medicines to treat lung infections, both for those able and unable to benefit from CFTR modulator medicines such as Kaftrio. However, the bugs that are causing these infections are becoming resistant to antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics. This means the medicines aren’t as effective or no longer work as a treatment. This is known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). New medicines to treat CF lung infections are urgently needed to overcome AMR.
How will the Syndicate help with AMR?
The CF AMR Syndicate is a partnership between Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) and LifeArc to accelerate the development of new medicines to treat CF infections. It is a cross-sector initiative which brings together leading experts from industry, academia and the clinic with people with CF. People with CF are involved in all of the Syndicate’s activities to ensure their needs and priorities are at its heart.
The Syndicate has recently published patient-focused Target Produce Profiles for treating CF lung infections. Target Product Profiles or ‘TPPs’ are used by researchers during drug development, as a checklist for the requirements a new medicine needs to meet. These include the dosing frequency and duration, the delivery method, the storage, or tolerable side effects. The new Collaborative Discovery Programme funding call will support research projects that address these TPPs.
Dr Paula Sommer, Head of Research at Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: "People living with CF are particularly vulnerable to antimicrobial resistance. New antimicrobials that target infections caused by bugs commonly associated with lung infections in CF are urgently needed. We are delighted to announce this funding call aimed at stimulating new research and development into treatments with the potential to benefit people with CF."
Dr Beverley Isherwood, Partnership Lead for Infectious Disease at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: "The CF AMR Syndicate is a unique initiative that brings people with CF together with leading experts from across the industry, academia and clinical care to accelerate the translation of CF antimicrobials to the clinic. With this funding call, we aim to extend the impact of this patient-centred collective approach to contribute new promising antimicrobials for people who need them.”
Dr Catherine Kettleborough, LifeArc's Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge Lead, said: "This funding call is part of LifeArc's £100m programme to accelerate scientific innovation for people living with CF and bronchiectasis. Working with MDC and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, this funding call aims to deliver new therapies to end the vicious cycle of infection, inflammation and permanent lung damage for people living with CF."
More details about the funding call
Researchers in academia and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide are eligible to apply, with projects expected to last up to two years, with total funding of up to £500,000 per project. Applicants must address patients' priorities for improving treatment as set out in the CF AMR Syndicate's recently-published Target Product Profiles for Antimicrobials.
The programme will offer a truly collaborative approach to drug development. Successful applicants can also access expert advice and practical support from all of the managing partners within the Syndicate.
The call for expressions of interest will open on the CF AMR Syndicate website on 30 March and close on 9 May 2023. For further details, please visit the CF AMR Syndicate website.
Find out more about the funding call
To be notified of future funding opportunities and wider activities of the CF AMR Syndicate, sign up to the network.