Improving the efficacy of antibiotics and curbing resistance

New findings from NRP 72, financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation, are helping to curb antibiotic resistance. In the field of new antibiotics, however, structures needed for translating results into practice are lacking.

Worldwide, more and more pathogens are becoming resistant to today’s antibiotics. As antibiotics lose their efficacy, infections that were once easy to treat can give rise to fatal illnesses. The National Research Programme "Antimicrobial Resistance" (NRP 72), financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), is looking for ways to counteract this trend. In 45 projects, researchers have revealed new findings and developed new instruments. "They are thus creating a basis on which we can deliver a powerful response to the threat posed by antibiotic resistance," says Joachim Frey, President of the NRP 72 Steering Committee. "But scientific innovation doesn't implement itself – partners from practice, industry and government are needed".

National Research Programme “Antimicrobial Resistance” (NRP 72)

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem. For this reason, in 2015 the Federal Council mandated the Swiss National Science Foundation to conduct the National Research Programme "Antimicrobial Resistance" (NRP 72), planned in coordination with the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (StAR).

For NRP 72, scientists spent five years researching new approaches in 33 projects at Swiss universities and higher education institutions, as well as in 12 international projects as part of the European Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR). Their aim was to contribute to

• curbing the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens
• using antibiotics more responsibly
• improving the treatment of infections with antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

To access links to documents and find out more, visit https://www.snf.ch/en/hmBr5T3yg87mh0YX/news/improving-the-efficacy-of-antibiotics-and-curbing-resistance