Tracking the Global Pipeline of Antibiotics in Development, April 2020

To shed light on the antibiotic pipeline, evaluate public policies, and monitor the potential impact on public health, The Pew Charitable Trusts has assessed antibiotics currently in clinical development. The list, which is updated annually, identifies each drug, manufacturer, potential targets, and stage in the development process. (See the methodology for the criteria used to select the drugs.)

The current assessment of the pipeline shows 41 new antibiotics in development. These drugs would potentially address many, but not all, resistant bacteria. However, given the inevitability that some of these antibiotics will fail to win approval, and that resistance will eventually develop to those that are approved, it is clear that there are too few drugs in development to meet current and anticipated patient needs.