CARB-X reports acceleration of much-needed innovation to protect lives from bacterial infections
(BOSTON: April 30, 2025) – The Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) today published its 2024 Annual Report, highlighting critical action to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The report outlines how CARB-X continues to strengthen the antibacterial development ecosystem and accelerate research and development.
“Antimicrobial resistance took the global stage in 2024, with governments and international bodies recognizing the urgency of the crisis and CARB-X’s critical role in accelerating the development of life-saving solutions,” said Kevin Outterson, Executive Director of CARB-X and Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Law at Boston University. “As highlighted in our Annual Report, CARB-X is uniquely positioned to address the antibacterial pipeline and access crisis by advancing innovation and working with partners so that products reach the people who need them. Global momentum is growing, and we must sustain it to deliver lasting solutions to one of the greatest public health threats of our time.”
The report spotlights significant progress across the CARB-X portfolio:
- 20 projects have advanced into or completed clinical trials;
- 13 graduated projects remain active in clinical development, including in late-stage clinical trials;
- Three products have reached the market (one therapeutic and two diagnostics);
- At least 10 developers with active R&D projects have secured advanced development partnerships after leaving the CARB-X portfolio; and
- Overall, CARB-X has supported 67% of the current Phase 1 clinical pipeline of non-traditional antibacterial therapeutics targeting WHO critical priority pathogens.
CARB-X demonstrated its commitment to accelerating global R&D to protect lives by launching its 2024 funding solicitation, aimed at addressing major gaps in the global pipeline. The round attracted 333 applicants from 34 countries, aligned under four thematic areas: therapeutics for infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens, prevention for invasive disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli, diagnostics for neonatal sepsis, and proof-of-concept for novel sample types for diagnosing lower-respiratory tract infections.
“The strong global response to our 2024 funding round underscores the urgent need—and widespread commitment—to advancing innovative solutions that address the rising threat of drug-resistant infections,” said Erin Duffy, R&D Chief of CARB-X. “By strategically targeting critical gaps in the antibacterial pipeline, CARB-X ensures that life-saving products are being developed and accessible to the patients who need them most. We remain deeply committed to accelerating the global R&D ecosystem and turning scientific innovation into public health impact.”
CARB-X is funded in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under agreement number 75A50122C00028 and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Gates Foundation, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in HHS, provides support in the form of in-kind services through access to a suite of preclinical services for product development. The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of any CARB-X funders.
CARB-X Contact: Marissa Novel, carbxpr@bu.edu
About CARB-X
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting early-stage antibacterial research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X supports innovative therapeutics, preventatives and rapid diagnostics. CARB-X is led by Boston University and funded by a consortium of governments and foundations. CARB-X funds only projects that target the most serious, resistant bacteria identified on global priority lists, syndromes with the greatest global morbidity and mortality, and performance characteristics necessary for patients. https://carb-x.org/ | X (formerly Twitter) @CARB_X
About BARDA and NIAID
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services works to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans, providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) leads the nation’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to and recovery from disaster and other public health emergencies. Within ASPR, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) invests in innovation, advanced research and development, acquisition, and manufacturing of medical countermeasures needed to combat health security threats.
About Wellcome
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.
About the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Education and research are crucial foundations for our future. Thus, the promotion of education, science and research is a policy priority of the German Federal Government. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) strengthens education at all stages of life and provides support for scientific research and innovation.
About the Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF)
The Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) is a One Health aid fund that supports research and development around the world to reduce the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals and the environment for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). GAMRIF core objectives are to develop innovative One Health solutions to tackle AMR; increase availability of context-specific, accessible, and affordable innovations for LMICs; establish international research partnerships with industry, academia, and governments; and collaborate with and leverage additional funding from other global donors.
About the Public Health Agency of Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), established in 2004, is responsible for public health, emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic disease control and prevention. Its mission is to improve the health of all people and communities in Canada by addressing public health priorities through science, innovation, service delivery, and collaborative action. The Agency collaborates closely with all levels of government, non-government organizations, and international partners to build an effective public health system. PHAC has a strong history of addressing health threats, including collaboration on a One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As part of the recently launched Pan-Canadian Action Plan on AMR 2023-2027, PHAC is piloting an economic pull-incentive project to increase access to essential antimicrobial drugs not yet authorized in Canada to address priority unmet public health needs.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society. www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en
About Boston University
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With nearly 37,000 students, it is one of the largest private residential universities in the United States. BU consists of 17 schools and colleges, along with the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences and a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University’s research and teaching mission. In 2012, BU joined the Association of American Universities (AAU), a consortium of leading research universities in the United States and Canada. For further information, please contact Kim Miragliuolo at kmira@bu.edu. www.bu.edu