Financial Times: GSK leads drugmakers’ fight against superbugs
“Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are doing a surprisingly good job in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) but still need to do more to tackle so-called superbugs, according to the first independent assessment of the industry’s response to one of the great public health challenges of the 21st century…” (Cookson, 1/23).

The Guardian: Number of new antibiotics has fallen sharply since 2000
“…Britain’s biggest pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline, and its U.S. rival Johnson & Johnson are leading efforts to combat antibiotic resistance, according to the report, which was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos…” (Kollewe, 1/23).

Intellectual Property Watch: Antimicrobial Benchmark For Industry Launched In Davos
“…The Antimicrobial Resistance Benchmark 2018 was presented in Davos, Switzerland during a press conference by Jayasree Iyer, executive director of the Access to Medicine Foundation. The benchmark is the first independent analysis of what the most active players in the pharmaceutical industry are doing to slow the emergence of drug resistance, Iyer said…” (Saez, 1/23).

New York Times: New Index Rates Drug Companies in Fight Against ‘Superbugs’
“…The index, which rates companies on their contributions to preventing the spread of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, found Mylan to be the best of the generic drug makers and rated a little-known company, Entasis, as top among biotechnology companies…” (McNeil, 1/23).

Reuters: Drug companies told to do more to tackle ‘superbug’ crisis
“…But action taken by such companies is only the start of what could be done to address the problem, which former Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill in 2014 estimated could cause 10 million deaths a year worldwide by 2050…” (Hirschler, 1/23).

Science: This new index ranks companies’ efforts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance
“…A total of 28 novel antimicrobials are in phase II or phase III clinical trials, according to the report; that sounds impressive, says Iyer, ‘but is not enough.’ Plans to ensure widespread access and avoid unnecessary use are in place for only two of the drugs, she says…” (de Vrieze, 1/23).

STAT: Pharma is urged to do more to thwart the superbug crisis
“…Overall, more companies are addressing R&D priorities, particularly the development of new antimicrobial drugs, but remain less active in bolstering manufacturing or sufficiently widening access, according to the report…” (Silverman, 1/23).