C-CAMP partners IHMA to combat antimicrobial resistance

New Delhi: In a major boost for its existing entrepreneurship and acceleration programs in the AMR domain, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Health Management Associates (IHMA). IHMA has supported anti-infective and diagnostic development studies for over 25 years. IHMA has laboratory facilities in the US, Switzerland and China plus a business office in India. C-CAMP is currently fostering India’s most promising and emergent solutions against AMR through the C-CAMP AMR Accelerator program that was launched in 2020.

“AMR is widely acknowledged as the biggest threat to 21^st century medicine. As innovators across the world race to develop next generation antimicrobials and vaccines, it is crucial that the regulatory and commercial routes to success for these paths are smooth and obstacle-free. We are delighted to announce that this MoU with IHMA will bring a world-class 360-degree service model to Indian innovators in the drug discovery arena along with exposure to global regulatory standards”, said Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, C-CAMP’s CEO and Director.

C-CAMP and IHMA will jointly facilitate microbiology-related studies for clinical trials, surveillance studies, mentorship programs and other activities to promote new drug and vaccine discovery in the area of anti-infectives and new-age diagnostic device development to address AMR.

C-CAMP, India’s premier bio research and innovation hub with a portfolio spread over the entire life sciences spectrum, has seen rapid advances being made in the AMR innovation space in India. C-CAMP’s AMR programs are designed to identify and accelerate commercialization of innovations in AMR, whereas its Analytical and Technology Platforms are accessible to researchers in a service mode. C-CAMP marquee start-ups such as Bugworks have risen to international prominence with an exciting pipeline of next generation broad-spectrum antimicrobials. C-CAMP is also a member of the CARB-X Global Accelerator Network, a league of 10 top organizations combating AMR across USA and Europe.

IHMA is a global microbiology research laboratory that provides extensive services to support the pharmaceutical industry. Their portfolio comprises 250+ healthcare institutions globally that can be leveraged by India’s leading antibiotic developers to carry out clinical trials and surveillance studies.  IHMA has vast experience with the identification and susceptibility testing of bacterial species.  Moreover, IHMA has a diverse library of clinically relevant phenotypically and genotypically characterized bacterial and fungal isolates that can be used to assist with profiling of anti-infective agents during development.

Darcie Carpenter Ph.D., CIC, Director Global Business Development, IHMA welcoming the MoU said “The IHMA Team is very excited about collaborating with C-CAMP.  This MoU with C-CAMP will help provide additional support to Indian innovators to create the next generation antibiotics to fight AMR.”