A £3m Collaborative Discovery Programme that is aiming to catalyse medical advancements in treatments for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) has been announced by the CF Antimicrobial Resistance Syndicate.
Financed by the medical research charity, LifeArc, the initiative will back five projects that will look to identify new antimicrobial therapies that can treat chronic respiratory infections in people with CF.
The funded programmes are anticipated to last up to two years, with researchers from academia and small and medium-sized enterprises across the globe eligible to apply for a maximum of £500,000 per project.
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s Head of Research, Dr Paula Sommer, said: "People living with CF are particularly vulnerable to antimicrobial resistance. New antimicrobials that target infections caused by microbes commonly associated with lung infections in CF are urgently needed.
“We are delighted to announce this funding call aimed at stimulating new research and development into treatments with the potential to benefit people with CF."
All applicants must address patient priorities for improving treatment that are set out in the CF AMR Syndicate’s Target Product Profiles for Antimicrobials resource.
Successful applicants will also benefit from expert advice and guidance from the three managing partners which include the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) and LifeArc.
Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Lead at LifeArc, Dr Catherine Kettleborough, added: "This funding call is part of LifeArc's £100m programme to accelerate scientific innovation for people living with CF and bronchiectasis.
“Working with MDC and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, this funding call aims to deliver new therapies to end the vicious cycle of infection, inflammation and permanent lung damage for people living with CF."
Expressions of interest will open for the funding on the 30th of March and close on the 9th of May 2023 – more information is available here.
