Infex CEO Peter Jackson discusses the state of antimicrobial resistance in the UK, and globally. He highlights the potential of a new “Netflix” style subscription model for antibiotic reimbursement, as well as future challenges for biotechs in the anti-infectives space.
The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was commissioned in July 2014 by the UK Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, who asked economist Jim O’Neill to analyze the global problem of rising drug resistance and propose concrete actions to tackle it internationally. (Also see “O’Neill: UK ‘Lost Focus’ On Antibiotic Crisis And Pharma Must Do More” – Scrip, 23 Nov, 2017.)
Years later, there is still a bleak picture of the state of AMR globally; the challenges faced by innovative drug developers in the antibiotic and anti-infectives space are plentiful.
Peter Jackson, CEO of Infex Therapeutics, discusses the ongoing issues around AMR and why progress has been slower than hoped. He highlights an important step forward in the UK of introducing a new subscription style model, often called the “Netflix model,” for antibiotic reimbursement and reward.
He also talks about Infex’s evolution into a clinical-stage biotech and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that industry and governments can put to good use.