Notice

Competition brief: antimicrobial resistance

Updated 27 October 2016

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This competition is no longer open. Search current funding opportunities.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-competition-antimicrobial-resistance/competition-brief-antimicrobial-resistance

1. Dates and deadlines

Competition opens 14 September 2016
Briefing event/webinar London, 19 September 2016
Registration deadline Noon 27 October 2016
Deadline for applications Noon 2 November 2016
Expert panel
by invitation only		 29 November 2016
please keep date free
Contracts awarded By December 2016

2. Competition scope

Projects need to demonstrate that the capital investment grant they’re requesting will:

  • advance the UK’s ability to tackle the global challenges of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • encourage public/private partnerships and maximise further investment

Innovate UK is looking to support organisations that can set out a clear vision of potential partnerships it will encourage with companies, universities and other research establishments. You should also detail the new AMR projects you will undertake as a consequence of the capital investment.

You must have a clear plan for the translation and commercialisation of any research that the capital enables you to conduct. To maximise the impact of this investment, applicants should build on existing UK infrastructure and not recreate capabilities without justification.

Examples of in-scope applications include but are not limited to bids that aim to:

  • create an infrastructure that will fast-track the research, development, evaluation and commercialisation of new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines
  • establish a global multi-centre clinical trials network for drugs, diagnostics and vaccines. This should address major drug-resistant pathogens
  • build on existing UK infrastructure and set up a sample collection network. This should be via an individual AMR portal from local and international networks that will enable quality research
  • establish databases for new scientific and public health understanding of AMR

We realise that some aspects of the above may not come under capital and so organisations will need other sources of funding.

All applications must focus on reducing the impact of antibacterial resistance on human health.

3. Projects that we won’t fund

Applications that do not address antibacterial resistance will be out of scope.

This competition is not looking for projects involved in new soaps, disinfectants or advanced materials to decrease contamination.

NB: New antibacterial wound dressings and coatings on ventilator tubes etc, will be in scope.

4. Find out if you are eligible to apply

To apply you must:

  • be a UK based organisation
  • be an organisation of any size or type (any organisation can lead a consortium)
  • carry out your project in the UK (although you can collaborate with international organisations)
  • work alone or in a consortium with other UK organisations. A consortium can be made up of any type of UK organisation including businesses, charities, universities and hospitals, and any mix of these

5. Funding and project details

Funding awards are likely to be in the range of £200,000 and £2 million. Exceptional applications may be awarded more and organisations can request less than £200,000.

We expect to fund between 2 and 12 projects.

Companies can only apply for 50% of the total cost they are requesting.

Universities, hospitals and Research and Technology Organisations can apply for 100%. See Guidance for Applicants for more information.

This competition is for capital investment, including refurbishment and equipment, and can’t go towards salaries or consumables. Capital can include the cost of setting up equipment but not the costs of maintenance or staff.

Any equipment purchased or refurbishment should be used for AMR related activities at least 80% of the time.

Successful applicants must spend and claim their grant by 31 March 2017.

Innovate UK will take a portfolio approach to awarding grants to quality applications.

6. How to apply

To apply:

We will not accept late submissions. Your application is confidential.

External, independent experts assess the quality of your application. We will then select the projects that we fund, to build a portfolio of projects as described in the competition guidance for applicants. Please read this carefully before you apply.

7. Background and further information

The Government published the UK’s 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy in 2013. Covering the period 2013 to 2018, the strategy acknowledged that a substantial and extended research effort is needed to address the emergence and spread of AMR. It also recognised the need for more research to speed up the development of new antimicrobials and new technologies to tackle AMR.

The global threat posed by AMR is also recognised by the independent review led by Lord O’Neill of Gatley. His review estimates that failure to tackle drug-resistant infections will lead to at least 10 million extra deaths a year and cost the global economy up to USD $100 trillion (£75 trillion) by 2050.

Drug resistance forms of a diverse range of common pathogens now exist, but of more concern is the level of multidrug resistance that is emerging. Staphylococcus aureus infections resistant to both meticillin and vancomycin are well documented and extremely drug resistant/totally drug resistant forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are of global concern.

Multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, pose a significant threat and could render certain respiratory tract, urinary tract and sexually transmitted infections untreatable in the future.

Innovate UK is running a competition to build on the UK’s capability in AMR research, with particular reference to innovative drugs, diagnostics and vaccines to tackle drug-resistant bacteria. The ultimate aim is to stimulate partnerships of excellence across the UK with strong public/private collaboration in the UK. This should stimulate translation, shorten concept to commercialisation, and provide a support mechanism to small innovative companies, in line with the recommendations of the O’Neill report.

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