WHO Warns of Insufficient Antibacterial and Diagnostic Pipeline Amid Rising AMR Threat

The World Health Organization (WHO) released two reports highlighting gaps in antibacterial and diagnostic development needed to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The clinical antibacterial pipeline has declined from 97 agents in 2023 to 90 in 2025, with only 15 considered innovative and just five effective against “critical” WHO priority bacteria. Most efforts target Gram-negative pathogens and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but gaps persist in pediatric formulations, oral outpatient treatments, and combination strategies. The preclinical pipeline is robust but fragile, dominated by small companies with limited resources.

Diagnostics are equally lacking, particularly in low-resource settings. Key gaps include multiplex platforms for bloodstream infections, biomarker tests to differentiate bacterial from viral infections, and simple point-of-care tools for primary care. WHO calls for greater investment in R&D, data sharing, and development of affordable, robust diagnostics and treatments, emphasizing coordinated efforts across discovery, clinical trials, and equitable access to combat the escalating global threat of AMR.

07-10-2025