Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership

Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership: The University of Liverpool and the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on new projects to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for the benefit of public health.

Since 2018, GARDP and the University of Liverpool have been working together to advance new treatment options for newborns with sepsis. Their research—published in leading peer-reviewed journals such as Archives of Disease in Childhood and the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy—has laid the groundwork for GARDP’s upcoming global clinical trial on neonatal sepsis. The trial will rank the safety and effectiveness of new combinations of three existing antibiotics against commonly used regimens to treat babies with sepsis. New treatment options are needed to respond to growing drug resistance to the current WHO-recommended regimen, especially in many low- and middle-income countries.

“The University of Liverpool is a leader in infectious disease research and a key partner in GARDP’s work on children’s antibiotics,” said Seamus O’Brien, R&D Director at GARDP. “This agreement paves the way for more successful collaboration across our portfolio in years to come. We look forward to continuing to work together on solutions for all populations that are especially vulnerable to drug-resistant infections.”

Professor William Hope, Dame Sally Davies Chair of AMR Research at the University of Liverpool said, “The University of Liverpool has enjoyed a highly fruitful and effective collaboration with GARDP to advance a collective vision to minimise the impact of antimicrobial resistance on human health. Effectively addressing global challenges such as AMR can only be achieved with strong partnership and interdisciplinary problem-solving. We anticipate further successes and look forward to this very much.”

Alongside their joint research, GARDP and the University of Liverpool have joined forces to share their expertise with the wider community of researchers who work on AMR. Academics from the University of Liverpool have presented their work in webinars hosted by GARDP’s online platform REVIVE, as well as at the online Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Conference co-hosted by GARDP.