European companies join forces against antimicrobial resistance

Biotechnology companies from all over European have come together to launch the BEAM alliance taking action against antimicrobial resistance.

BEAM alliance (Biotechs from Europe innovating in Anti-Microbial resistance) is a new Europe-wide mission combating the emergence of multi-drug resistance bacteria, which has been acknowledged as a global health crisis.

In total, 37 antibiotic research and development biotech companies, from 10 different countries all over Europe, are a part of the BEAM alliance.

One of the companies involved, Da Volterra, recognise the potential the new alliance could have.

Florence Séjourné, CEO at Da Volterra, said: “Research and development investment in antibiotic therapies, novel alternative and preventative approaches and diagnostics is very clearly coming from smaller, innovative biotechs.

“As a combined force, the BEAM alliance and its member companies have the potential to make a real and significant difference to a massive health crisis – globally but from Europe.”

BEAM’s main aims are to minimise future development of acquired drug resistance in pathogens, promote new policies and regulations around the use and development of antimicrobial resistance strategies, and to improve the European regulatory, investment and commercial environment for research, development and market viability of new products combating antibiotic resistance.

The alliance’s plans to achieve these aims through the design and development of new antibiotic medicines, identification and implementation of preventative strategies against resistance, and in the design of improved diagnostic technologies to facilitate more targeted and appropriate antibiotic treatment.