A drug-resistant stomach bug is on the rise

CDC has noticed an increase in “extensively drug-resistant” Shigella infections—the latest evidence of the growing threat of AMR. Plus, the U.S. Chamber released the 11th International IP Index with a warning about the impact of threats to IP on our ability to fight the next pandemic. (516 words, 2 minutes, 34 seconds)

A drug-resistant stomach bug is on the rise – and it won’t be the last

Here’s something turning our stomachs this morning: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noticed an uptick in “extensively drug-resistant” Shigella infections, an acute (and very contagious) intestinal bug.

The news:Shigella infections “resistant to all commonly recommended empiric and alternative antibiotics” have increased from zero in 2015 to 5% in 2022, says a CDC advisory released Friday.

While most patients typically recover, “for those who are infected with the drug-resistant strains there are no recommendations for treatment if symptoms become more severe,” explains CNN.

The big picture: Beyond the immediate health concerns, the drug-resistant strains “can spread antimicrobial resistance genes to other enteric bacteria,” says the CDC.

The bigger picture: More than 1 million people worldwide died in 2019 as a direct result of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), more than AIDS and malaria. If we don’t develop new antibiotics and antimicrobials, this number could reach 10 million by 2050.

What can we do about it? We need “a robust pipeline of new antimicrobial medicines,” says BIO’s AMR expert Emily Wheeler. In the U.S., policy solutions like the PASTEUR Act and antimicrobial reimbursement reform could help address the unique challenges of the antimicrobial  marketplace—learn more.

Listen: AMR: The Silent Pandemic

U.S. Chamber’s IP Index highlights progress and new threats

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released the 11th International IP Index, explaining how threats to COVID-19 IP will threaten our ability to respond to the next pandemic—something BIO’s been saying for a long time.  

The good news: 18 economies improved, with Asia showing the greatest increase in “regional average score” due to improvements in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The bad news: 28 remained unchanged, “illustrating that progress to improve global IP protection may be stagnating”—and nine economies’ scores dropped, notably Russia.

The worse news: “Economies are threatening to weaken the framework for IP-driven innovation,” says the report—especially with regards to COVID-19 technology, which would “undermine the innovation ecosystem that was pivotal to combatting COVID-19 and threaten the ability to respond effectively to the next major global public health threat.”

Why IP matters: “IP rights facilitated 143 licensing agreements in 31 different countries for COVID-19 therapeutics alone, in turn ensuring that global supply well exceeds demand,” explains the report.

What they’re saying: “We all agree that technology and innovation are essential to solving the world’s most vexing problems. Protecting that IP is what drives investment. And it is the means by which new technologies reach the market, generate economic growth, and improve people’s lives,” said U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal in recorded remarks.

The context: The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is currently investigating the proposal to expand the COVID-19 IP waiver to therapeutics and diagnostics, with a public hearing expected later this spring. We’ll be watching. USPTO recently awarded the prestigious Patents for Humanity Prize to 5 recipients, including BIO members, Gilead and Regeneron, for developing urgently needed COVID therapeutics and making them widely available through licensing and cost-free distribution.

President Biden’s Monday: Celebrating Black History Month at the White House this evening.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House and Senate are back in action, with several agriculture-related hearings this week, including on the Farm Bill’s conservation and forestry programs and challenges for American agriculture. The House Oversight Committee will also explore lessons learned from COVID-19.