Two Dutch Topsectors join forces to fund the GLORIA program

A success for Dutch public-private partnership AMR-Global:

Two Dutch Topsectors join forces to fund the GLORIA program

AMR-Global, a Dutch public-private partnership bringing together experts in science, business, policy, and society to fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), has successfully obtained funding for its full GLORIA program. GLORIA is a program with five research projects, focusing on reducing inappropriate exposure to antibiotics, one of the main drivers of AMR.

GLORIA-1-ROTA-Biotic measures the impact of rotavirus vaccines on pediatric antibiotic usage;

GLORIA-2-BIOBAC builds affordable protein-based technologies that can accurately distinguish
between viral and bacterial causes of infections at the point of care;

GLORIA-3-AB test UTI develops a fast diagnostic device to screen for antibiotic resistance and help doctors tailor their antibiotic therapies for the treatment of urinary tract infection;

GLORIA-4-PAS4AMR aims to design an innovative technology for portable adaptive sequencing for AMR surveillance in respiratory infections; and

GLORIA-5-SWIM aims to reduce inappropriate exposure to antibiotics and antibiotic resistance through drinking water and to assess the potential impact on human health.

“We are very excited that the unique GLORIA program is now complete and ready to kick-off so we can focus on the actual research and on the next endeavors of AMR-Global. We hope other public and private actors in this field are inspired by GLORIA and AMR-Global.”

– Prof. Constance Schultsz, AMR-Global steering committee chair

Two Dutch Top sector for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI) areas, where specific funding is set aside for research by public-private partnerships, joined forces to fight AMR. The TKI Life Sciences & Health and TKI Water & Maritime came together to fund SWIM. The fifth GLORIA research project “SWIM” aims to reduce inappropriate exposure to antibiotic resistance through drinking water and to assess the potential impact on human health, an aim which requires collaboration between health and water experts. The project will test new technologies to filter antibiotics and antimicrobial resistant genes from surface water, in a drinking water treatment facility in Bangladesh.

AMR is an ever-growing global health problem. In 2019, an estimated 1.27 million people died from infections attributable to drug-resistant bacteria, a figure that could rapidly increase to 10 million per year if no action is taken. This action must be taken from multiple sectors in society, as no discipline can fight AMR on its own.

The interdisciplinarity that is vital for solutions to combat AMR, is also core to the research of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), program coordinator of GLORIA and participant in two of the five GLORIA research projects. In addition to AIGHD, the following 13 partners are working toward finding solutions to AMR within AMR-Global’s GLORIA program: Amsterdam UMC, Level Diagnostics, Leiden University Medical Center, ShanX Medtech, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam , KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, UMC Utrecht, Mozand, Deltares, KWR Water Research Institute, VU Amsterdam, Saxion Research Group International Water Technology and NX Filtration.

For more information on the GLORIA Program and AMR-Global, or for information on how to join the fight against AMR, visit https://www.amr-global.org/ or email info@amr-global.org.