Fifteen projects designed to reduce the growing global threat of antifungal drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have received UK government funding via the University of Exeter's FAILSAFE project.
FAILSAFE (Fungal AMR Innovations for LMICS: Solutions and Access For Everyone), is managed by the University of Exeter's MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, in partnership with the UK Department of Health and Social Care's Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). GAMRIF is a One Health UK aid fund that supports research and development around the world to reduce the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals and the environment for the benefit of people in LMICs.
In its first wave of funding awards, FAILSAFE has approved grants to support the work of 78 researchers from 13 countries, aiming to accelerate solutions for a global problem which has a particular impact in LMICs.
Fungal diseases kill as many people across the world as tuberculosis or malaria, with the highest number of cases occurring in LMICs. However, the number of drugs available to treat them is limited. Some fungi are particularly deadly to people with compromised immune systems, including children with leukaemia. Fungal diseases can also decimate crops and affect animals and agriculture. Managing crop diseases requires fungicides that can trigger cross-resistance to humans, meaning that antifungal medicines may cease to work.
Resistance to the limited number of drugs available to treat fungal diseases in human, animal and plants is increasing, meaning they may no longer be effective, known as antifungal drug resistance. This is particularly an issue in LMICs, where the burden of drug resistance is highest. Yet fungal disease and antifungal resistance is under-recognised as a serious health threat and significantly underfunded as a result.
Solutions for antifungal drug resistance are urgently needed, and the new FAILSAFE project is aiming to address this issue.
The projects awarded span five core areas:
- Addressing antifungal resistance by studying drivers and threats
- Developing new and novel antifungals and formulations
- Enhancing surveillance of fungal pathogens and antifungal resistance
- Promoting research on the generation of vaccines against fungal pathogens, particularly drug-resistant strains
- Innovating new diagnostics for fungal infections
FAILSAFE co-lead Professor Elaine Bignell, of the University of Exeter, said: "Antifungal drug resistance is a global threat to public health that requires urgent action. We're delighted to award this first wave of funding to projects supported by FAILSAFE to advance this goal, with a particular focus on delivering benefit to low-to-middle income countries, where the burden and impact of fungal diseases is disproportionately high. From heightened surveillance to drug discovery and vaccine development, the inaugural FAILSAFE awards support the work of 78 researchers from 13 countries to develop and deliver much-needed solutions to tackle antifungal drug resistance."
Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on AMR, said: "Antifungal resistance is a pressing, understudied global threat that demands urgent solutions. I'm delighted that GAMRIF and the Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter are partnering to support researchers worldwide to develop much needed innovations and build research expertise where it is needed most. These 15 projects mark an important step in tackling antifungal resistance, specifically designed to benefit low- and middle-income countries where the burden is greatest."
