The European Commission invests in CARB-X and GARDP to ramp up global response to antimicrobial resistance

The European Commission DG HERA has announced a €30 million EU4Health investment, managed by KfW, to support CARB-X and GARDP in strengthening the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The funding aims to create a fully integrated innovation pipeline, with CARB-X focusing on early-stage R&D (antibiotics, vaccines, diagnostics, preventatives) and GARDP advancing late-stage clinical development, including treatments for drug-resistant infections and neonatal sepsis. KfW will oversee implementation and coordinate stakeholders through a new Antimicrobial Drug Pipeline Coordination Forum.

This initiative addresses a major public health threat—AMR causes over 35,000 deaths annually in the EU—by accelerating the development and availability of medical countermeasures. It reflects a strategic EU effort to bridge innovation gaps from discovery to patient access, de-risk antibiotic development, and strengthen both European and global health security.