C-CAMP & SBI Foundation Unite to Tackle AMR Challenge in India

To tackle the escalating worry of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) and SBI Foundation joined forces to bridge a notable gap in deep science entrepreneurial endeavours in India.

The key aim of this collaboration is to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) with a focus on AMR innovation. The CoE's primary goal is to furnish crucial support systems and frameworks to nurture, translate, and scale up indigenous deep science startups in the realm of AMR.

Highlighting the critical challenge posed by AMR to global public health systems, Prof Ajay Sood, principal scientific adviser to the Govt of India in New Delhi, said,  "AMR poses a grave challenge to public health systems across the world and is a WHO priority. Paradoxically, due to its skewed market economics, AMR is one of the least funded domains in biotechnology." 

Operating under the India AMR Innovation Hub (IAIH), the CoE will identify and support a comprehensive portfolio of cutting-edge deep-science solutions across AMR and the broader One Health domain.The initiative plans to kickstart its operations by nurturing up to 12 innovations in the coming two years.

Talking about the partnership, Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO of C-CAMP, said, "We eagerly welcome our recent collaboration with SBI Foundation. This is a vital public-private partnership focused on combating AMR by backing ventures that innovate and commercialise scientific advancements for practical implementation. 

He further added, 'œThe latest ICMR study highlights a concerning trend where last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenems show signs of failure in hospital-acquired infections in ICUs, underlining the urgent need for tailored indigenous solutions suited to Indian conditions'”a need that this CoE aims to address and support."

Commenting on the same, Sanjay Prakash, MD, SBI Foundation, said, "Our partnership with C-CAMP focuses on addressing pressing issues in our country, particularly concerning AMR. We believe that the SBIF C-CAMP CoE for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Innovation will be pivotal in identifying, funding, and nurturing startups at the forefront of AMR innovations."

Furthermore, a nationwide India AMR Grand Challenges call is set to be announced soon.

According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is projected to be among the top ten global health threats by 2050, with an anticipated annual fatality rate of 10 million.