PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy): 2025 Antibacterial Therapeutics – LOI

PACE, a collaboration between 3 leaders in the UK’s health innovation & research community, supports high value, high risk, early phase drug discovery and diagnostic projects for antibacterial therapeutics.
PACE seeks projects in Hit-to-Lead or Lead Optimisation phases, seeking to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections associated with the highest burden of AMR, as highlighted by the Lancet studies[1]. Indications in scope are: lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), blood stream infections (BSI) and complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI). Therapeutics must target one or more drug-resistant priority Gram-negative pathogens: Enterobacteriaceae (prioritising E. coli and K. pneumoniae), A. baumannii and/ or P. aeruginosa[2].
PACE seeks for innovative and differentiated projects with the potential to address drug-resistant infections where treatment options are limited. Funded projects will be expected to demonstrate strong potential to meet the WHO innovation criteria[3] (a new chemical class; a new target; a new mechanism of action; the absence of cross resistance), focusing on candidates with the greatest likelihood of delivering meaningful clinical benefit.
Funding: Up to £6 million is available to support up to 8 projects, with a maximum of £1 million available per project.
[1] www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01867-1/fulltext
[2] www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240093461
[3] https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/376944/9789240094000-eng.pdf