ENABLE-2 ready to lead continued development of new antibiotics
ENABLE, the EU initiative for antibiotic development led by Uppsala University, will continue its work in ENABLE-2 with financial support from the Swedish Research Council. "An independent committee have chosen between many interesting project proposals and the platform is now entering operational phase," says Anders Karlén, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy.
(Image removed) Anders Karlén, Professor and coordinator of ENABLE-2
The Swedish Research Council allocates SEK 25 million to ENABLE-2, a national extension of the EU project ENABLE - European Gram-Negative Antibacterial Engine, that will be coordinated via Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy. The grant is part of the SEK 100 million that the Swedish government invests in the national research program on antibiotic resistance. The investment is welcome, states Anders Karlén, coordinator of ENABLE-2 and Professor Of Computer-aided drug design at Uppsala University:
“The development of new antibiotics is a central part of the efforts to address the problems arising from resistant bacteria. To succeed we need sufficient resources to provide support during the early stages of antibacterial drug development. With ENABLE, we have built a successful foundation, and the Swedish Research Council's continued trust in our work gives us the conditions we need to continue developing what we have begun.”
During the autumn, ENABLE-2 have accepted applications from researchers in the Swedish academy and biotech companies with molecules that can be candidates for antibacterial drugs. The initiative aroused great interest, and among many interesting project proposals, an independent portfolio committee has now selected four that are estimated to be extra promising.
“These are four very interesting and exciting projects that we are now working to include in the drug development platform. The fact that the various project owners are representatives of both universities and industry is also positive, and we look forward to rewarding collaborations,” says Anders Karlén.
The Swedish Research Council's funding extends over 2022, but ambitions are to operate ENABLE-2 in a longer perspective, and also to develop collaborations with funders and research environments in other European countries.
(Image removed) ENABLE-2 in the AMR network
FACTS ENABLE-2
- Is a national platform that offers project support for the development of antibacterial drugs.
- Is funded with SEK 25 million by the Swedish Research Council and coordinated at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Uppsala University.
- ENABLE was initiated 2014 in collaboration between the EU and the European pharmaceutical industry with the aim of taking a drug candidate all the way to human testing. At the wrapping of the project in October 2021, several potential antibiotic molecules had been developed with one candidate drug undergoing a phase I study with positive results.
MORE INFORMATION
CONTACT
(Image removed) Anders Karlén, coordinator, Professor
The Faculty of Pharmacy
anders.karlen@ilk.uu.se
text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, Uppsala University