EU-funded FP6 Research projects on Antimicrobial Drug Resistance

124 Pages·2010·5.55 MB·English

EU-funded FP6
Research projects
on Antimicrobial
Drug Resistance
Project information
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EU-funded FP6
Research projects
on Antimicrobial
Drug Resistance
Directorate-General for Research
2010 Cooperation/Health EN
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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010
ISBN 978-92-79-16745-4
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Table of ConTenTs
Introduction 6
ABS INTERNATIONAL COMBIG-TOP
Implementing antibiotic strategies (ABS) Combinatorial biosynthesis of industrial
for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals glycopeptides: technology, optimization
in member states of the European Union 8 and production 27
ACE
CombiGyrase
Approaches to control multi-resistant
enterococci: studies on molecular ecology, Development of new gyrase inhibitors
horizontal gene transfer, fitness and prevention 10 by combinatorial biosynthesis 29
ACE-ART
Assessment and critical evaluation
CRAB
of antibiotic resistance transferability
in food chain - ACE-ART 12 Combating resistance to antibiotics 31
ActinoGEN
DRESP2
Integrating genomics-based applications
to exploit actinomycetes as a resource Role of mobile genetic elements in the spread
for new antibiotics 14 of antimicrobial drug resistance 32
e-Bug
Development and dissemination
AMIS
of a school antibiotic and hygiene
Antimicrobials by immune stimulation 16 education pack and website across Europe 33
EACCAD
ANTIBIOTARGET
European approach to combat outbreaks
Molecular and functional genomic approaches of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea
to novel antibacterial target discovery 17 by development of new diagnostic tests 35
BACELL HEALTH EAR
Bacterial stress management relevant Effects of antibiotic resistance on bacterial
to infectious disease and biopharmaceuticals 19 fitness, virulence and transmission 36
BURDEN EARSS
Burden of resistance and disease The European antimicrobial resistance
in European nations 21 surveillance system 37
CanTrain
ERAPharm
Host-pathogen interaction systems as tools
to identify antifungal targets in C. albicans Environmental risk assessment
and C. dubliniensis 22 of pharmaceuticals 39
CHAMP
ESAC
Changing behaviour of healthcare professionals
and the general public towards a more prudent European surveillance
use of anti-microbial agents 24 of antimicrobial consumption 41
COBRA
Combating resistance to antibiotics
ESSTI
by broadening the knowledge on molecular
mechanisms behind resistance to inhibitors European surveillance of sexually transmitted
of cell wall synthesis. 25 infections 43
GRACE
ET-PA
Genomics to combat resistance
Enabling techniques for the development against antibiotics in community-acquired LRTI
of a novel class of protein antibiotics 45 in Europe 67
HAPPY AUDIT
EU-IBIS
Health alliance for prudent prescribing, yield
Invasive bacterial infections surveillance and use of antimicrobial drugs in the treatment
in European Union 46 of respiratory tract infections 69
EUCAST
IPSE
European committee
on antimicrobial susceptibility testing 49 Improving patient safety in Europe 71
LeishEpiNetSA
Control strategies for visceral leishmaniasis (VL)
EUR-INTAFAR
and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL)
Inhibition of new targets in South America:
for fighting antibiotic resistance 51 applications of molecular epidemiology 73
EURESFUN
MagRSA
Integrated post-genomic approaches
for the understanding, detection Fully automated and integrated microfluidic
and prevention of antifungal drug platform for real-time molecular diagnosis
resistance in fungal pathogens 53 of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 75
EuResist
MalariaPorin
Integration of viral genomics
with clinical data to predict response Validation of the plasmodium aquaglyceroporin
to anti-HIV treatment 55 as a drug target 76
Eurofungbase
Strategy to build up and maintain an integrated sus-
MANASP
tainable European fungal genomic database required
for innovative genomics research on filamentous Development of novel management strategies
fungi important for biotechnology and human health 57 for invasive aspergillosis 77
EPG micro-MATRIX
European virtual institute for functional Workshop on strategies to address
genomics of bacterial pathogens – antimicrobial resistance through
EuroPathoGenomics 59 the exploitation of microbial genomics 78
EuropeHIVResistance MOSAR
European cohort coordinating network Mastering hospital antimicrobial resistance and
on HIV drug resistance 60 its spread into the community 79
EuroTB NewHiv Targets
Surveillance of tuberculosis in Europe 62 Identifying novel classes of HIV inhibitors 81
NEWTBDRUGS
New drugs for persistent tuberculosis:
FUNGWALL
exploitation of 3D structure
The fungal cell wall as a target of novel targets, lead optimisation
for antifungal therapies 64 and functional in vivo evaluation 82
GENOSEPT NM4TB
Genetics of sepsis in Europe 66 New medicines for tuberculosis 83
NPARI
Tailoring of novel peptide coatings
Tat machine
and therapeutics derived from a newly identified
component of the human innate immunity Functional genomic characterisation
against resistant infections 85 of the bacterial Tat complex 103
Phagevet-P
TB Treatment Marker
Veterinary phase therapies as alternatives
to antibiotics in poultry production 86 Establishing a TB treatment efficacy marker 105
TB-DRUG OLIGOCOLOR
Development of a molecular platform
PNEUMOPEP
for the simultaneous detection
New methods of treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance
of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal disease 88 to rifampicin and fluoroquinolones 106
PREVIS TRAINAU
Pneumococcal resistance epidemicity Training risk assessment in non-human
and virulence – an international study 89 antimicrobial usage 107
READ-UP TRIoH
Redox antimalarial drug discovery 91 Targeting replication and integration of HIV 109
Tuberculosis China
REBAVAC
The diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Novel opportunities to develop vaccines strains in China: tracing the origins
to control antibiotic resistant bacteria: of theworldwide dispersion of the multidrug-
from the trials back to the laboratory 92 resistant Beijing genotype 111
REPLACE UNITE-MORE
Plants and their extracts and other natural Uniformity in testing
alternatives to antimicrobials in feeds 93 and monitoring HIV resistance 112
SAFEWASTES
Evaluating physiological and environmental
VIRGIL
consequences of using organic wastes after
technological processing in diets European vigilance network for the
for livestock and humans 95 management of antiviral drug resistance 113
SavinMucoPath
VIROLAB
Novel therapeutic and prophylactic strategies to
control mucosal infections A virtual lab for decision support
by South American bacterial strains 96 in viral diseases treatment 116
SIGMAL
VITBIOMAL
Targeting malaria transmission through
interference with signalling in Plasmodium Vitamin biosynthesis as a target
falciparum gametocytogenesis 98 for antimalarial therapy 117
SLIC
Biosensors in molecular diagnostics
nanotechnology for the analysis of species-
specific microbial transcripts 100 Index of Acronyms 118
StaphDynamics
Functional genomic characterisation
of molecular determinants for staphylococcal
fitness, virulence and drug resistance 101 Index of Coordinators 119
6 |
InTroduCTIon
CombaTIng anTImICrobIal
drug resIsTanCe
The discovery and use of antibiotics has
had an enormous impact on our healthcare
system. Nowadays, the treatment and pre-
vention of microbial infections fully depends
on the availability of effective antibiotics. In
addition to this, advanced surgical proce-
dures like organ transplants, cancer chemo-
therapy and care of preterm babies heavily
rely on effective antibiotics. Unfortunately,
the emergence of and rise in resistance to
the currently available antimicrobial drugs
threatens the treatment of both hospital-
and community-acquired bacterial infections
and endangers many modern medical prac-
tices. This situation is further aggravated by
a sharp decline in the discovery of new an-
timicrobial drugs needed to overcome drug
resistance. Such developments represent
a looming crisis for our healthcare system.
It is crucial to contain antimicrobial drug
resistance (AMDR) and to nourish research
aimed at combating it. This research
need has been addressed within the EU
framework programmes where AMDR
has been given a high priority over the last
decade with significant financial sup-
port from the Health Directorate of the
Directorate-General for Research (DG
RTD) in the European Commission.
The development and spread of AMDR are
amongst the areas that are currently being
investigated together with novel evidence-
based approaches to managing patients
with a view to optimising antibiotic use.
| 7
In addition, the discovery and develop- will result from several projects that have
ment of novel antimicrobial drugs and the received funding. Within such projects
identification of their molecular targets are attention is also being paid to the trans-
areas that have attracted funding. This is of fer of resistance as well as the biological
prime importance since only few antimi- costs (fitness costs) of resistance. The
crobial agents have been launched during third area concerns the development of
the last 30 to 40 years. Under-investment novel antimicrobial drugs that will ben-
in antibiotic research and development by efit from research projects that aim to
the pharmaceutical industry has con- identify compounds capable of inhibiting
tributed to this problem. The research processes that are essential for bacte-
projects that are supported by the Health rial growth or projects explore natural
Directorate of DG RTD aim to form and resources to obtain new antimicrobials.
support multidisciplinary collaborations,
obtain a critical mass of researchers Under FP6, the total EC contribution
investigating AMDR within Europe and committed to discovery and transla-
mobilise the European biotech industry. tional research activities for projects that
specifically focus on AMDR or on cer-
The project catalogue contains informa- tain aspects of AMDR is more than EUR
tion about AMDR projects funded under 160 million. In addition, several closely
the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). related projects funded by the Directo-
It provides an overview of the scientific rate-General for Health and Consumer
challenges, the research goals addressed Protection (SANCO) are also included
and the expected outcome of projects. for a comprehensive overview of the
The information presented also shows the scope of Community funding in this field.
involvement and participation of a multitude However, although vaccination may have
of small and medium-sized enterprises a significant impact on reduced use of
(SMEs) working in close collaboration with antibiotics, no vaccine research projects
the academic institutions. The concerted have been included in this compilation.
efforts of the research consortia will most
likely result in significant advances in three Research projects in this catalogue are
distinct areas. Firstly, a more appropri- of prime importance since this type of
ate use of currently available antibiotics is research is essential for a continua-
aimed at in order for these drugs to remain tion of the effective control of bacterial
effective as long as possible. Secondly, an infections that is required to sustain our
increase of our current knowledge of the current high level of medical care as well
biological processes that underlie AMDR as public trust in our healthcare system.
8 | abs InTernaTIonal
ImPlemenTIng anTIbIoTIC sTraTegIes (abs)
for aPProPrIaTe use of anTIbIoTICs
In hosPITals In member sTaTes
of The euroPean unIon
http://www.abs-international.eu
baCKground aIms
The ABS INTERNATIONAL project sought The general objectives of the project were:
to further develop organisational com-
petencies regarding adequate antibiotic to develop organisational tools and
use in the cooperating hospitals of the qualified capacities for identifying
partner countries, as well the qualification and distributing best practice on the
of doctors and pharmacists in adequate prudent use of antimicrobial agents
antibiotic use. Through eight Work in human medicine in hospitals;
Packages (WPs), the project developed to enhance and implement spe-
and validated quality indicators and cific strategies for the prudent use of
process measures for antibiotic use. antimicrobial agents in hospitals;
to elaborate methods for evaluating
Problem: the applied antimicrobial strategies;
In human medicine, the use of antibacterial to disseminate project results.
agents for the treatment of viral infections
and the unjustified use of substances with
an extremely broad activity spectrum are
regarded as the main causes (among
others) of the resistance problem.
EU Project:
ABS International
1.1 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
Project Planning and Process Preparation Implementation Preparation
Management Preparation Measures/ per Partner per Partner of the
QI for Country Country postprojet
AB USe phase
1.2
Dissemination
of Results
1.3
Evaluation of
the Project
 Project number: 2005208  EC contribution: €798 598  Duration: 24 months
 Starting date: 1 september 2006