When the whole exceeds the sum of its parts: squeezing greater cumulative benefit from cross-technology partnerships in bacterial infection
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Objectives
Effective care for bacterial infections requires both new antibiotics (ABx) to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and appropriate diagnostics (Dx) to guide their use. Diagnostics are essential to identify pathogens, determine susceptibility, and support targeted prescribing, including ruling out unnecessary antibiotic use. However, diagnostics are undervalued in the current market, limiting their availability and integration with antibiotic development. To examine the interplay between antibiotics and diagnostics and assess the potential value of coordinated development and partnerships.
Methods
This paper analyses the antibiotic and diagnostic development landscape, focusing on market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration models involving ABx developers, Dx developers, clinicians, and public-sector stakeholders.
Results
Antibiotics and diagnostics are rarely developed or introduced in parallel, and available diagnostics often fail to deliver treatment-focused or point-of-care–relevant results. This misalignment hampers the effective deployment of new antibiotics and weakens stewardship. Cross-technology partnerships can improve trial efficiency, enhance market valuation, and support more targeted antibiotic use. Key barriers include fragmented incentives, regulatory misalignment, and financial constraints.
Conclusion
Better alignment between antibiotic and diagnostic development is critical to maximise clinical impact and support resistance monitoring. Public-sector support could help enable effective partnerships and improve patient outcomes.
Effective care for bacterial infections requires both new antibiotics (ABx) to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and appropriate diagnostics (Dx) to guide their use. Diagnostics are essential to identify pathogens, determine susceptibility, and support targeted prescribing, including ruling out unnecessary antibiotic use. However, diagnostics are undervalued in the current market, limiting their availability and integration with antibiotic development. To examine the interplay between antibiotics and diagnostics and assess the potential value of coordinated development and partnerships.
Methods
This paper analyses the antibiotic and diagnostic development landscape, focusing on market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration models involving ABx developers, Dx developers, clinicians, and public-sector stakeholders.
Results
Antibiotics and diagnostics are rarely developed or introduced in parallel, and available diagnostics often fail to deliver treatment-focused or point-of-care–relevant results. This misalignment hampers the effective deployment of new antibiotics and weakens stewardship. Cross-technology partnerships can improve trial efficiency, enhance market valuation, and support more targeted antibiotic use. Key barriers include fragmented incentives, regulatory misalignment, and financial constraints.
Conclusion
Better alignment between antibiotic and diagnostic development is critical to maximise clinical impact and support resistance monitoring. Public-sector support could help enable effective partnerships and improve patient outcomes.
Date Issued
2026-06-01
Date Acceptance
2026-03-14
Citation
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2026, 167
ISSN
1201-9712
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume
167
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41866061
PII: S1201-9712(26)00171-2
Subjects
Antibiotic-diagnostic co-development
Antimicrobial resistance
Drug-diagnostic partnerships
Precision infection management
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Canada
Article Number
108536
Date Publish Online
2026-03-20