BARDA seeks to support a VC-like mechanism for Medical Countermeasure (MCM) innovation / Your chance to provide input!

Dear All,

BARDA is (yet again!) pushing the envelope with novel ways to support innovation. Their DRIVe group has just released an RFI in which they request input on their plans to create a VC-like mechanism through a third party to support innovation in the MCM (medical countermeasure) space. Go here for the complete RFI, but I’ll reproduce a bit of the overview as a first look:

BARDA Division of Research Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) seeks to partner with a third party entity (Venture Partner) that will address gaps in preparedness and areas within the continuum of response which require innovative and entrepreneurial approaches that would not be considered under traditional medical countermeasure (“MCM”) development.
 
BARDA envisions establishing a sustained and ongoing bilateral partnership utilizing venture capital practices to address the following objectives/tasks: 
 

1. Foster, promote, and accelerate the development and innovation of medical countermeasures and related tools, technologies, data, and techniques to meet strategic response needs, 
2. Address unmet health security needs that are directly related to saving and protecting American lives from 21st Century health security threats, 
3. Provide expert consultation and advice to foster innovators and commercially viable medical technologies.

 
BARDA will educate and advise the Venture Partner on the BARDA mission space and the potential applicability of technologies to the mission. In turn, the Venture Partner will independently implement an investment strategy with the ultimate goal of impacting the rapid development of tools and technologies to improve the United States’ preparedness posture against known and unknown threats. The Venture Partner will be solely responsible for all investment activities and decisions.
 
It is anticipated the Venture Partner will employ a variety of investment mechanisms commonly used in venture capital, including innovative financing options and pro-rata rights, as necessary. When appropriate to improve the financial and/or strategic standing of the investment, it is anticipated the Venture Partner will ensure oversight of investments such as board membership, personnel management of portfolio companies, subject matter expertise and guidance, and use other practices common to the venture capital community.

This is not strictly focused on AMR, but the overlap is obvious. All individuals who have comments/questions/suggestions/edits are encouraged to submit regardless of interest in applying. Now is your chance to help BARDA shape the next big initiative in Government! Comments on the RFI are due by 9am EST on 18 Nov 2019.

This is great to see … go, BARDA!

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/

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.
• 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.
• [NEW] 26 Nov 2019 (webinar, 9:30-11:00 CET): REVIVE webinar entitled “Innovation in point-of-care diagnostics for sepsis and bloodstream infections.” Go here to register.
• 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.