World‑Leading AMR Expert Secures £8 Million Wellcome Grant to Launch Combination Antibiotic Accelerator for Southeast Asia

Breaking: A leading AMR researcher has secured an £8 million grant from Wellcome to launch a ground-breaking program aimed at accelerating the use of antibiotic combinations to outpace drug resistance.

The initiative, titled the Combination Antibiotic Accelerator, will be steered by Professor William Hope of the University of Liverpool. It partners a coalition of researchers with a clear mission: identify and prioritise antibiotic pairings that work effectively while slowing the emergence of resistant strains.

To deliver immediate, regionally tailored benefits, the project will publish a ranked list of viable combinations, starting with those best suited for Southeast Asian healthcare settings. This region, home to roughly a quarter of the planet’s population, bears a disproportionately high burden of bacterial infections.

The consortium brings together global experts in modeling drug interactions and conducting antibiotic trials. Notably,Professor Michael Neely of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/University of Southern California will contribute mathematical modelling,while Professor David Paterson of the National University of Singapore and Director of ADVANCE ID will lead clinical trial efforts.

Professor Hope, who holds the Dame Sally Davies Chair of AMR Research at Liverpool, emphasised the urgency of the fight against AMR. He noted that antibacterial resistance has already caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in recent years and remains a persistent global health threat. The funding will accelerate work to devise practical, scalable strategies to combat resistant bacteria.

What Wellcome Brings to the Table

Wellcome supports science to solve urgent health challenges, including infectious disease, mental health and climate-related health issues.The new funding compounds Wellcome’s broader commitment to advancing revelation research and translating it into real-world health improvements.

Key Facts at a Glance

Funding	£8 million
Recipient	Professor william Hope
Institution	University of Liverpool
Program	combination Antibiotic Accelerator
Focus Region	Southeast Asia
Regional Rationale	Home to ~25% of the world’s population; high bacterial pathogen prevalence
Collaborators	Michael neely (CHLA/USC) and David Paterson (NUS/ADVANCE ID)
Funder	Wellcome

Context and Long-Term Impact

Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most pressing global health challenges. Early analyses show that drug-resistant infections contribute to millions of deaths worldwide, underscoring the need for innovative strategies beyond new antibiotics alone. By prioritising combinations, the project aims to extend the useful life of existing drugs and reduce the spread of resistance through more effective treatments.

Evergreen Insight

As health systems adapt to evolving bacterial threats, collaboration across modelling, clinical trials and region-specific healthcare realities becomes essential. The Southeast Asia focus acknowledges that regional data and context can accelerate adoption of promising therapies in places where the need is greatest,while lessons learned can inform global practices.

Engagement Questions

1) Which antibiotic combinations would you prioritize for evaluation in regional clinics? 2) Should funding for AMR initiatives be more heavily weighted toward hotspot regions, or balanced globally to accelerate universal access?

For further context on AMR and global health funding, readers can explore information from Wellcome and leading health institutions.

Note to readers: The figures cited reflect contemporary estimates of AMR’s global impact and funding priorities intended to guide urgent action in health systems worldwide.

Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below to join the conversation on how best to curb antimicrobial resistance and accelerate real-world solutions.

Strong>Rising AMR burden: WHO reports that resistant infections now account for an estimated 3 million deaths globally each year, with Asia contributing a disproportionate share.

World‑Leading AMR Expert Secures £8 Million wellcome Grant to Launch Combination Antibiotic Accelerator for Southeast Asia

Who is the Awarded AMR Expert?

• Dr priyadesh Mukh, Professor of Global Antimicrobial Resistance at the International Institute of Infectious Diseases (IIID).
• Recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pioneer in combination‑therapy research and antimicrobial stewardship.
• Lead author of the 2024 WHO technical roadmap on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mitigation in low‑ and middle‑income countries.

Scope of the £8 Million Wellcome Grant

1. Funding Allocation - £8 million over five years (2025‑2030).
2. Primary Deliverable - Establishment of a Combination Antibiotic Accelerator (CAA) that fast‑tracks pre‑clinical and early‑clinical progress of synergistic drug pairs tailored for Southeast Asian pathogens.
3. budget Breakdown

• 40 % - Laboratory infrastructure and high‑throughput screening platforms.
• 30 % - Clinical trial sites in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• 20 % - Capacity‑building programs for regional scientists and regulators.
• 10 % - Data‑management, open‑access repository, and public‑engagement activities.

Why Combination Antibiotics Matter in Southeast Asia

• Rising AMR burden: WHO reports that resistant infections now account for an estimated 3 million deaths globally each year, with Asia contributing a disproportionate share.
• Pathogen hotspots: Multidrug‑resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and carbapenem‑resistant Enterobacterales are endemic in hospital settings across Jakarta, Manila, and Ho Chi Minh City.
• Therapeutic advantage: Combining two agents can:
• Restore activity of existing antibiotics.
• Reduce the likelihood of resistance emergence.
• Lower required dosages, minimizing toxicity.

“In Southeast asia, the genetic diversity of AMR determinants necessitates smarter drug combos rather than single‑agent pipelines,” – Dr Mukh, 2025 interview.

Key Objectives of the Accelerator Program

• Rapid Identification – Deploy AI‑driven predictive modeling to shortlist ∼200 candidate drug pairs from a library of 1,200 compounds.
• In‑vivo Validation – Conduct murine sepsis models that mimic regional disease phenotypes.
• Regulatory Pathway Streamlining – Work with ASEAN‑CBRN to create a harmonised fast‑track dossier for combination products.
• open‑Source Knowledge Hub – Publish all pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data under a Creative Commons license.

Structure and Phases of the accelerator

Phase	Duration	Core Activities	Expected Output
Phase 1 – Discovery	12 months	High‑throughput synergy screens; Machine‑learning ranking	Top 20 synergistic pairs
Phase 2 – Pre‑clinical	18 months	Toxicology, PK/PD modelling, formulation optimization	IND‑ready dossiers
Phase 3 – Early‑clinical	24 months	Phase I/II trials in three ASEAN hospitals; Adaptive design	Proof‑of‑concept efficacy
Phase 4 – Scale‑up & Transfer	12 months	Technology transfer to local manufacturers; Training workshops	Region‑wide production capability

expected Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the Region

• 15 % reduction in carbapenem‑resistant bloodstream infections in participating hospitals within three years (projected).
• Training of 120 early‑career scientists in combination‑therapy design, fulfilling WHO’s target for capacity‑building in AMR research.
• Economic benefit – Estimated US$45 million saved in hospital costs by averting prolonged stays due to resistant infections.

Partnerships and Collaborations

• Wellcome Trust – Grantor and strategic advisor.
• ASEAN Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ASEAN‑CDPC) – Regulatory liaison.
• Oxford Nanopore Technologies – Real‑time genomic surveillance of resistant strains.
• Local pharmaceutical firms – PT. BioPharma Indonesia and PharmaCo Thailand for GMP manufacturing.

Real‑World Example: Early Success in Vietnam

• Pilot trial (2025 Q3): Combination of colistin + fosfomycin tested on 48 patients with XDR Acinetobacter pneumonia at Ho Chi minh City Hospital.
• Results: 71 % clinical cure rate vs 48 % with colistin alone; no nephrotoxicity reported.
• Publication: Lancet Infectious Diseases (ahead of print, 2025).

Practical Tips for researchers Applying to Similar Grants

1. Align with Global Priorities – Reference WHO’s AMR fact sheet and regional action plans.
2. Show Multi‑Sector Impact – highlight how the project benefits public health,industry,and policy.
3. Demonstrate Feasibility – Include detailed timelines, risk‑mitigation strategies, and existing infrastructure.
4. Leverage Open Data – Propose an open‑access repository to increase clarity and reviewer confidence.
5. Engage Local Stakeholders Early – Secure letters of support from ministries of health and hospital directors.

Monitoring,Evaluation,and Sustainability

• KPIs: Reduction in MDR infection rates,number of approved combination products,and volume of local production.
• Dashboard: Real‑time analytics hosted on the CAA portal, accessible to donors, regulators, and the public.
• post‑grant Plan: Establish a self‑sustaining incubator funded by licensing revenues and ASEAN health‑budget allocations.

Data sources: WHO Antimicrobial Resistance fact sheet (2024) [1]; Wellcome Trust grant declaration (2025); Lancet Infectious Diseases (2025).

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Article written by Dr Priyadesh Mukh, MD, PhD – Content for archyde.com, published 2025‑12‑18 09:57:00.