WHO Pipeline
Authors: Igwe Ugochi Chidi(@Ugo), Cateline Atieno Ouma (@Cateline), Noreen Nasambu Juma( @Nareju_noreen), Brian Bosire( @Bosire _ Ke),
**Github Code Link: https://github.com/Cateline/Stage-2-HackBio-Visualization/blob/main/HackBio%20Stage%202%20R%20Merged%20Scripts.R**
The data for this infograph was drawn from the WHO pipeline of antibacterial products addressing drug-resistant infections caused by priority pathogens, based on the WHO priority pathogen list( World Health Organization, 2022).These data include products in phases I–III of clinical development, none of which have received market authorization for human use. The infographic examines whether the R&D pipeline addresses infections caused by bacterial priority pathogens (including Clostridioides difficile and Helicobacter pylori). It also evaluates the products' potential effectiveness, availability in different formulations, and whether they contain New Chemical Entities (NCE).
The candidate products are classified by type, pathogen category, clinical development phase, expected activity against priority pathogens, route of administration, and innovativeness. According to the pipeline, 57.2% of the candidate products are antibiotics, while 42.8% are non-traditional products. This reflects a continued focus on antibiotic development, alongside an increasing emphasis on innovative non-traditional therapies, which may play a significant role in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Non-traditional products include antibodies, bacteriophages, phage-derived enzymes, immunomodulating agents, microbiome-modulating agents, and other miscellaneous therapies.
Regarding pipeline progress, 299 candidate products are in phase I, 170 in phase II, 143 in phase III, and 26 are targeting priority pathogens in the preregistration stage. This distribution shows that while a significant number of products are under development, many remain in early trial phases. The scatter plot highlights efforts to diversify AMR interventions, with particular focus on promoting non-traditional and innovative treatments. However, innovation in the field remains limited, as only 53% of the products are classified as innovative, indicating a gap in breakthrough treatments to effectively combat AMR. Additionally, 55% of the products contain a new chemical entity (NCE), with a majority intended for inhalation routes of administration. From the bar plot showing the innovation status, a significant portion, 228 products, are categorized as "not innovative," showing that these products do not represent new or groundbreaking advancements. Only 89 products were marked as "innovative," indicating they introduce novel approaches or solutions in their development.
The expected activity of candidate products against priority pathogens is categorized as either critical or other priority pathogens. For critical priority pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, most products fall under the N/A category, indicating no clear data on activity. However, some products show potential activity (categorized as Yes or Possibly), especially against Enterobacterales. For other priority pathogens, such as Campylobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, a similar trend is observed, with a predominance of N/A status, though Staphylococcus aureus has relatively more products classified as Yes.
The leading developers in this pipeline include Qpex Biopharma, Entasis Therapeutics Inc., and GlaxoSmithKline. Their contributions signify strong investment by major pharmaceutical companies in addressing the global AMR crisis. While progress is being made, there is still a need for continued innovation in the development of AMR-targeting products.
World Health Organization. (2022). Antibacterial products in clinical development for priority pathogens. Online verfügbar unter https://www. who. int/publications/i/item/WHO-EMP-IAU-2019.12,[letzter Aufruf: 13.03. 2023].