Pushing Collaboration and Financial Incentives in the Global Fight Against Superbugs

London, United Kingdom, January 30, 2016 --(PR.com)-- A recent declaration by more than 80 international drug and biotech firms, has urged governments to provide appropriate incentives to combat drug-resistant superbugs which could kill tens of millions of people within decades unless progress is made.*

Hear more on financial and collaborative incentives to accelerate clinical success at SMi's 18th annual conference on Superbugs & Superdrugs when it returns to London on 16th & 17th March.

Cempra Pharmaceuticals, one of the featured speakers at the show said:

"The GAIN Act has been helpful in incentivizing with priority review. However much more needs to be done to decrease development costs...pricing of new antibiotics is also an important aspect." - (Read the full Q&A with Cempra Pharmaceuticals)

As well as providing insight into progressive R&D and viable alternatives to antibiotic drugs, the event will spotlight on models for successful partnerships and international collaboration.

• The conference will open with an address by Richard Bax, Senior Partner from Transcrip Partners. With a focus on the current status and future prospects of antimicrobial resistance, the presentation will discuss new economic models and will ask the questions: What needs to be done now?

• Extending portfolio partnerships to strengthen the antibiotic pipeline will be the topic of the address from the Project Manager of BARDA's Anti-Infective Programme, Dr Christopher Houchens. Dr Houchens will provide case studies on current partnerships and address BARDA's efforts to combat antibiotic resistant infections. Attendees will also learn about BARDA funding opportunities and future research collaborations.

• Cempra Pharmaceuticals President & CEO, Prabhavathi Fernandes, will explore international collaboration for successful worldwide commercialisation.

• How is research being supported in a practical sense? Line Matthiessen, Head of the European Commission’s Unit on Fighting Infectious Diseases and Advancing Public Health, will deliver the latest updates on EU's action plan on AMR and public private partnerships.

• Jean-Pierre Paccaud, Director of Business Development and Legal from Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), will delve further into global product development partnerships to foster new antibiotic treatments and discuss their responsible use.

• David Cook, Chief Scientific Officer from Blueberry Therapeutics, will highlight how industry collaboration and partnerships can aid innovation and will ask the question: Is economics the elephant in the room?

This is just a snap shot of what will be discussed on the agenda for 2016. The full speaker line-up and detailed agenda is available online at www.superbugssuperdrugs.com/prcom

SMi’s 18th annual conference:
Superbugs & Superdrugs
16th & 17th March 2016
Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, London UK

www.superbugssuperdrugs.com/prcom

* Source: http://reut.rs/1QpoDj6

About SMi Group:

Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world’s most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi-online.co.uk