WHO calls for new data on preclinical pipeline

Until 25th August companies, institutions and individuals are invited to submit data on their products that are in the preclinical pipeline.

The data submitted should be non-confidential and will be made available publicly on the WHO Global Health R&D Observatory. This data call is for the 2020 update of the preclinical antibacterial pipeline review.
In January 2020, WHO released its first global review of the preclinical antibacterial pipeline. The review captured 252 antibacterial products that are being developed in 145 institutions around the world. These products target WHO priority pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Clostridioides difficile. This is the first comprehensive overview of the preclinical antibacterial pipeline to date that is based on publicly available data primarily gathered through a WHO data call. The review identified a broad geographic distribution and diversity of projects. Overall the preclinical pipeline suggests that the ecosystem is relatively innovative (e.g. many projects pursue non-traditional approaches, particularly phages and antimicrobial peptides), though the size of the preclinical pipeline is likely insufficient to adequately generate the therapeutics needed to ensure availability of effective antibacterials. WHO will update this overview on an annual basis.