Public contributions to the development of antibiotics: two successful and two failed investments
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: The aim is to showcase a detailed analysis of the contribution of public funding to two successful (gepotidacin and zoliflodacin) and two failed (epetraborole and ridnilazole) public sector investments in antibiotic development, using a previously developed and refined framework. Methods: Detailed development histories of four products were constructed using information gathered from publicly available sources. Then searches were carried out on funding sources using press releases, investor reports, annual reports, patents and scientific publications. The framework for classifying public contributions was applied. Results: The two successful antibiotics received a significant amount of public funding: $519 million for gepotidacin and $281 million for zoliflodacin. Whilst the two unsuccessful antibiotics received considerably smaller sums from public or philanthropic sources ($85 million for ridinilazole and $18 million for epetraborole). The development trajectories of the two successful antibiotics notably demonstrate that market forces alone were insufficient for their completion. Despite promising clinical results, these products faced potential abandonment and were only advanced through substantial public funding and robust public-private partnerships. National research funding agencies emerged as the predominant source of support. In terms of absolute levels of funding, public private partnerships were the largest single contributors to total R&D contributions in three of the four cases. Specific funding amounts were least likely to be traceable for charitable/philanthropic contributions. Conclusion: Using our established methodology for source identification and funder classification, we uncovered compelling evidence of the essential role played by public and philanthropic funding in antibiotic development. However, there is a significant amount of missing funds-related information. The work we have done on identifying sources for funding can be referenced in support pharmaceutical price negotiations to better reflect the level of public contribution to product development.
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,390
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, Colorado State University, Li Ka Shing Foundation, University of Washington, McGill University, Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, UK Research and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Research, University of Southampton, University of Oxford, European Commission, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, National Research Foundation, South African Medical Research Council, Rhodes University, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, National Natural Science Foundation of China, ZonMw, Public Health England, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Central South University, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, Government of Jiangsu Province, Department for International Development, Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, Ministero della Salute, Generalitat Valenciana, Örebro Universitet, Korea Health Industry Development Institute, National Research Foundation of Korea, Université de Strasbourg, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Emberi Eroforrások Minisztériuma, Kongelig Hofbuntmager Aage Bangs Fond, Ministério da Saúde, Universitetssjukhuset Örebro, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, French Infrastructure for Integrated Structural Biology, Vlaamse regering, National Science and Technology Major Project, Robert Koch Institut, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Horizon 2020, National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Award: G6652767649
OpenAlex ID: W7141584859