Testing for combination antibiotics wins EU funding

A new method which assesses how effective different combinations of antibiotics are against bacteria is to be tested at several universities throughout Europe, including the Karolinska Institutet.

Christian Giske, a researcher from Karolinska’s Department of Laboratory Medicine, is academic lead for the study funded by the EU, of which will last for at least two years.

Antibiotic resistance has achieved status as a major global problem. In Europe, more patients are developing sepsis, caused by intestinal bacteria, which is difficult to treat.

Giske said: “In Sweden … we come across bacteria that are very difficult to treat. We try to overcome this by using combination treatment; in other words, we give more than one antibiotic at the same time.

“The problem is that two preparations can sometimes affect each other negatively and cause side effects.”

Now Giske is to collaborate with researchers at universities in a number of countries in the EU, in order to test a new and rapid analysis method for demonstrating which antibiotic combinations are effective.

The analysis method, and associated test equipment to be trialled have been produced by Symcel. Alongside the researchers, both have received a combined total of €3.6m from Horizon 2020.

As well as the Karolinska Institutet, universities in Denmark, Italy and Spain will also be taking part.

If the method proves to be effective, it will benefit the large number of patients in Europe who are affected by resistant bacteria every year. If the analysis method proves to work and is robust, the intention is that the practice can be used in major hospitals within Europe, as well as other locations throughout the world.

The post Testing for combination antibiotics wins EU funding appeared first on Horizon 2020 Projects.

Project Category: 

  • Policy & Research
  • antibiotic resistance
  • antibiotics
  • bacteria
  • Christian Giske
  • Denmark
  • EU
  • Europe
  • H2020
  • Horizon 2020
  • Italy
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Symcel