(336) The Cystic Fibrosis antimicrobial resistance (CF AMR) Syndicate

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now the leading cause of death globally [1]. Antibiotics remain a key and necessary therapeutic for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) particularly as recurrent and increasingly multidrug resistant respiratory infections dominate as a cause of morbidity and mortality [2]. There is, therefore, an urgent and unmet need for the development of new antimicrobials to treat respiratory infections in CF.

The mounting realisation of the impact of AMR is resulting in a growing antimicrobial pipeline, and it is important to specifically support the development of antimicrobials with efficacy for both chronic and acute CF infections.

To this end, the CF Trust (CFT) partnered with Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) to create the CF AMR Syndicate with the specific aim of accelerating the development of new antimicrobials, bringing new and effective treatment options to the clinic, faster

Methods: The managing partners, CFT and MDC, together with pwCF, academics, industry and clinical collaborators joined forces to map the CF antimicrobial innovation landscape and tackle the key hurdles for drug developers.

Results: An initial scoping exercise across industry revealed two common hurdles which included difficulties in accessing appropriate clinical samples and data, as well as the lack of a well-defined preclinical development pathway. The Syndicate has created a toolkit of resources to address these key hurdles including a guidance document on clinically relevant strains and isolates, the development of a virtual UK CF Infection biorepository funded by CFF, and a set of patient-focussed target product profiles. In addition, the CFT and CFF have co-funded a Strategic Research Centre which aims to develop an evidence-based preclinical framework for the development of antimicrobial therapeutics in cystic fibrosis (PIPE-CF). The Syndicate is also imminently launching a CF AMR Network, aimed at bringing together a critical mass of experts to exchange knowledge, enable the development of collaborative programs and facilitate the involvement of pwCF. The Syndicate also engages with academic groups, SMEs and Pharma to support the development of new antimicrobials through delivery of expert advice, access to unique resources, equipment, expertise or funding through various mechanisms.

Conclusions: The CF AMR Syndicate is rapidly gaining momentum as a collaboration that will bring effective antimicrobials to pwCF, faster.

Acknowledgements: The Cystic Fibrosis Trust and The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

References: [1] Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. The Lancet 2022; 399:629-655. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02723-0.

[2] Bell SC, Mall MA, Gutierrez H, Macek M, Madge S, Davies JC, et al. The future of cystic fibrosis care: A global perspective. The Lancet 2020; 8: 65–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/ S2213-2600(19)30337-6