UK's Global AMR Innovation Fund to Support AMR Solutions in India with £5.1 Mn Investment

This initiative is expected to significantly advance the global AMR solutions pipeline beyond just providing funds for entrepreneurial progress.

The UK's Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) has pledged up to £5.1 million (INR 539.48 million) over three years to the Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) in Bengaluru.

This funding aims to foster the identification and development of innovative solutions targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly emphasizing challenges faced by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The partnership between GAMRIF and C-CAMP will prioritize the development of AMR solutions that address environmental challenges, benefiting LMICs where the burden of drug resistance is most severe.

Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, director & CEO of C-CAMP, expressed confidence in harnessing innovative AMR science from India and globally to tackle this critical issue.

"With our decade-long work in this area, we are confident of harnessing the most exciting AMR innovation science happening in India and across the globe into solutions to tackle the challenge, especially the often-neglected issue of environmental AMR that threatens low- and middle-income countries," Saiyed stated.

Comprehensive Support for AMR Solutions

The GAMRIF-C-CAMP collaboration promises comprehensive support across the entire value chain of AMR solutions, from idea identification to product development, deployment, and integration.

This initiative is expected to significantly advance the global AMR solutions pipeline beyond just providing funds for entrepreneurial progress.

Dr Saiyed emphasized the holistic nature of this support, stating, "This will be a game-changer in the effort to nurture a global solutions pipeline, and not just entrepreneurial progress through funds disbursements. Looking forward to working with all national and international stakeholders with the guidance of the office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India."

Highlighting the global nature of the AMR threat and the crucial role of the environment in its emergence and spread, Prof Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy for AMR, said, "AMR impacts every human, animal and environment system, from local to global levels. The environment plays a key role in the emergence and spread of AMR and therefore forms a key part of the solution.’’

Support from Indian Govt Officials

Prof Ajay K Sood, principal scientific adviser, Government of India, emphasized the serious issue of environmental antimicrobial resistance due to unchecked agricultural and industrial effluents.

He noted that the GAMRIF-C-CAMP collaboration would focus on innovation, solution deployment, and evidence-based policymaking to address this problem in India and other LMICs, particularly in Africa.

"C-CAMP is a torchbearer of AMR innovations from India and we are excited to see the result of this partnership for the global AMR innovation landscape," Sood stated.

Prof Vinod K Paul, Member of Niti Aayog, acknowledged the complexity of AMR, which intersects human health, animal health, and the environment.

According to him, the GAMRIF-C-CAMP initiative aligns well with India's National Action Plan on AMR (NAP 2.0), which extends to 2028 and involves a multi-sectoral strategy.

"This GAMRIF C-CAMP initiative will connect and align well with its mandate. Also, in context of India NAP 2.0 that will take us to 2028, we have implemented a multi-sectoral strategy where sector-specific missions for 14 One Health organizations, ministries, and departments are participating like the broad outlook of this important partnership," Paul said.