Cepheid Partners with Fleming Initiative to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 04 Oct 2024

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for over one million deaths globally each year and poses a growing challenge in treating major infectious diseases like tuberculosis, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). AMR occurs when microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the drugs and treatments designed to kill them and prevent disease. This resistance has been fueled in part by the widespread misuse and overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs in both humans and livestock, resulting in the global spread of drug-resistant pathogens. By 2050, it is projected that 10 million people will die annually due to drug-resistant infections. Without urgent action to address AMR, the consequences could be severe, with once-treatable infections and minor injuries becoming potentially life-threatening.

To effectively tackle AMR, Cepheid (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) has entered into a partnership with the Fleming Initiative, a global collaboration established by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (London, UK) and Imperial College London (London, UK). The Fleming Initiative unites research scientists, policymakers, clinicians, behavioral experts, and public and commercial partners to create a global network aimed at developing equitable solutions to AMR. The initiative will leverage diverse expertise and public engagement to tackle AMR from multiple perspectives. The partnership will focus on catalyzing global action, particularly in regions where poverty, climate change, and health inequalities exacerbate the impact of drug-resistant infections.

Image: The GeneXpert system’s fast PCR Xpert tests can fight AMR and superbugs with fast and accurate PCR in one hour (Photo courtesy of Cepheid)

Cepheid's commitment to the Fleming Initiative will support collaborative scientific and clinical research, with an emphasis on strengthening and expanding the use of in vitro diagnostics to enhance antimicrobial stewardship programs, promoting responsible antibiotic use and curbing the rise of resistant infections. The collaboration will prioritize key areas of AMR, such as promoting active screening for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) to enable earlier detection of critical infections and colonization. Additionally, the partnership will work on implementing community-based acute respiratory infection (ARI) testing and care pathways to create decentralized diagnostic and treatment options. Another key focus will be accelerating a precision medicine approach to sepsis, aiming to identify and treat patients based on their specific sepsis response state.

"Almost everyone who has visited a healthcare provider for an undiagnosed infection has taken antibiotics as a preventative measure at one time in our lives. Too often, we are given broad spectrum antibiotics for viral infections or allergic reactions instead of as a treatment for a bacterial infection. That's how antimicrobial resistance develops," said Vitor Rocha, President of Cepheid. "Accurate diagnostics are at the frontline of the battle to eliminate preventative antibiotic use. Every one of us can help reduce unnecessary antibiotic use by requesting an accurate diagnostic test to identify the source of an infection before we begin a course of antibiotics."

"At the Fleming Initiative we aim to unlock powerful new ideas to drive significant change in the fight against AMR. This requires collective innovation across industries, from practitioners to policy-makers and the public," added Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of the Fleming Initiative. "I am delighted to welcome Cepheid as our first diagnostics partner. Currently 20% of antibiotic prescriptions given in primary care lack an appropriate diagnosis. We have to do better. Cepheid's expertise will be essential to our efforts to ensure antibiotics work for generations to come."