CARB-X at work! New funding round, new job opportunities

Dear All, Two things on a Friday afternoon:

First,CARB-X Funding Round 4 will be open from 12-19 Nov 2019 for Expressions of Interest (EOIs). This round is very focused and seeks only applications for new classes and/or new targets in early development phases (hit-to-lead through Phase 1) targeting a specific list of Gram-negative pathogens (see link, but in brief is carbapenem-resistant A. baumanii, P. aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae as well as Fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella, Shigella, and Neisseria. Go here for details.

Second, CARB-X is hiring! There are four open roles: Alliance Director, Alliance Manager, Accelerator Manager, and Compliance Manager. No specific timelines are given, but good jobs go quickly … so get busy if this sounds like it could be you! See details just below my signature.

And if you want yet another reason to get involved, see this story from The Times of India (link) describing 22 deaths due to infections resistant to everything, including colistin. Let’s get busy inventing a new wave of antibiotics!

All best wishes, –jr

John H. Rex, MD | Chief Medical Officer, F2G Ltd. | Expert-in-Residence, Wellcome Trust. Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRex_NewAbx. See past newsletters and subscribe for the future: https://13.43.35.2/blog/

CARB-X job openings:
CARB-X ALLIANCE DIRECTOR: This is a new scientific project leadership role in the CARB-X R&D team. The portfolio is expanding, in both diversity and size. The Alliance Director will provide scientific leadership and oversee a portfolio of projects for Vaccines and Preventatives across the entire lifecycle of CARB-X-funded projects. For more information, and to apply, click here.

CARB-X ALLIANCE MANAGER:The Alliance Manager is a new role in the CARB-X R&D team, working closely with CARB-X funded product developers, providing scientific and business planning, and technical support. The Alliance Manager will also play a key role in the review of applications for funding, helping CARB-X identify the best and most innovative projects from around the world. For more information, and to apply, click here.

CARB-X ACCELERATOR MANAGER: The Accelerator Manager is a critical role, providing stewardship and coordination to the Global Accelerator Network. The Network is comprised of nine world-class organizations located in five countries. The Accelerator Manager helps define the needs of product developers, and works with Network organizations to develop support and ensure all projects in the portfolio are appropriately supported.The types of services include: project support and expertise for product developers; coordination of support to address common needs; and network development and collaboration. For more information, and to apply, click here.

CARB-X COMPLIANCE MANAGER: The role of Compliance Manager is central to CARB-X’s goal to achieve the highest standards In its portfolio and all activities. The Compliance Manager is a new position, responsible for execution of critical processes in diverse areas, including due diligence on corporate structure, intellectual property (IP) and licensing; the administration of processes to comply with confidentiality, conflicts of interest, regulatory requirements, and governance matters; and research on related topics as needed. For more information, and to apply, click here.

Upcoming meetings of interest to the AMR community:

• 4 Nov 2019 (FDA, White Oak): Public hearing on FDA’s proposed rules for “Use of Fecal Microbiota for Transplantation to Treat Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile.” Go here for the online FR notice and here for the .pdf version.
• 7 Nov 2019 (webinar, 17:00-18:30 CEST): REVIVE webinar entitled “Converting Gram-positive-only compounds into broad-spectrum antibiotics.” Go here to register.
• [NEW] 12-19 Nov 2019 (cyberspace): CARB-X Funding Round 4 is open for Expressions of Interest (EOIs). Go here for details. This round is limited to new classes and/or new targets in early development phases (hit-to-lead through Phase 1) targeting a specific list of Gram-negative pathogens (see link, but in brief is Carbapenem-resistant Abau, Pae, E’bacteriaceae as well as FQ-R Salmonella, Shigella, and Neisseria.
• 14-15 Nov 2019 (Hamilton, Ontario): “Fueling the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance”, a 2-day Gairdner Foundation-sponsored symposium in collaboration with the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery at McMaster University. Go here for details.
• 18-19 Nov 2019 (FDA, White Oak Campus): FDA-IDSA-NIAID-Pew-sponsored workshop: “Enhancing the Clinical Trial Enterprise for Antibacterial Drug Development in the United States.” Mark your calendar now, details to follow.
• 19 Nov 2019 (London): BSAC seminar entitled “Into clinical practice: Meeting the challenges of Gram-negative infection management”. A one-day conference on treatments for Gram-negative infections. Go here for details.
• 28-29 Nov 2019 (Birmingham, UK): BSAC workshop entitled “ARM (Antibiotic Resistance & Mechanisms)”. This meeting is a research forum for UK-based researchers at all levels, including PhD students and technicians. Go here for details.
• 16-18 Dec 2019 (Bangkok, Thailand): 3rd International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics in Animal Production. Go here for details: https://www.ars.usda.gov/alternativestoantibiotics/
• 21 Jan 2020 (London): BSAC’s 2nd Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Conference – An ABC for everyone involved in developing new antimicrobials. Go here for details.
• 20 Feb 2020 (London, UK): Westminster Health Forum conference entitled “Antimicrobial resistance – coordinating a global response and progress on the UK strategy.” Go here for details.
• 26-27 Feb 2020 (Washington, DC): US PACCARB public meeting. Go here for details.
• 1-6 Mar 2020 (Il Ciocco, Tuscany, Italy): GRC on Antibacterial Discovery and Development: “Now is the time to re-boot antibiotic R&D before it’s too little, too late.” Go here for details.
• 12-13 Mar 2020 (Basel, I’m told): BEAM-, Novo REPAIR-, CARB-X-, DZIF-, ND4BB-, ENABLE-supported (among a long list!) Conference on Novel Antimicrobials and AMR Diagnostics. Final location is TBD, details will appear here, and you should mark your calendar now. 
• 16-17 Mar 2020 (London): BSAC Spring Conference entitled: “Bridging the gap between science, policy and effective antimicrobial use.” Go here for details. 
• 18-21 Apr 2020 (Paris): Annual ECCMID meeting (#30)
• 25-30 May 2020 (Rotterdam), Annual ESPID meeting (European Society for Pediatric ID, #38)
• 10-13 Apr 2021 (Vienna): Annual ECCMID meeting (#31)
• 1-4 Sep 2020 (Dublin): Annual ASM-ESCMID Conference on Antibiotic Development #5! Mark your calendar now and go here for details.
• 9-10 Sep 2020 (Washington, DC): US PACCARB public meeting. Go here for details.