Recommendation 11

HM Government · verbatim extract Deferred

as part of its overarching ‘One Health’ approach to tackling AMR. The government welcomes the valuable insights and recommendations put forward by the UK KTN Phage Innovation Network and acknowledges the importance of establishing a robust network for phage-related knowledge sharing and the management of assets like biobanks. The government is supportive of the important role the network has played convening phage stakeholders and of the network’s ambitious plans to focus on GMP manufacturing, as well as engaging with regulators on the use of phages in humans. The government does not plan to publicly respond to the UK KTN Phage Innovation Network’s report but will consider its recommendations and proposals as part of the wider evidence base for phage therapy. The government recognises the urgency of this matter and understands the potential impact that a well co-ordinated phage-related research and development network can have on tackling AMR across various sectors. As more scientific evidence becomes available, the government will further consider how the use of phages may support achievement of the UK's 20-year vision for AMR. In 2023, UKRI launched a funding call for transdisciplinary networks related to 'Tackling Infections' (5). This offered up to £650,000 per project to networks looking to generate research questions to address key areas of unmet need, identify and prepare for future challenges, increase collaboration and use a transdisciplinary approach. This call closed on 5 December 2023 and applications are currently being evaluated. It is expected that innovative alternatives or improvements to antibiotics will be a common theme emerging in responses to the call. It is hoped that phage researchers can make full use of these networks, anticipating future research calls in the AMR space. Biobank infrastructure is eligible for UKRI funding through a range of routes that support research partnerships and infrastructure, particularly the MRC’s partnership grant schemes. The partnership grant scheme is designed to support novel partnerships between diverse groupings of researchers. AMR is a broad and wide-ranging issue with many competing priorities for research. DHSC, NIHR and the UKRI are members of the UK AMR Funders Forum. The forum supports co-ordination of all activities relating to AMR research, including phage research where appropriate. It aims to improve research impacts on national and international policies and activities. The forum brings together 21 different groups from across government departments, UKRI and charity partners. It assesses gaps in research evidence, product development and research translation. It identifies opportunities for research collaboration including workshops, training, and research funding calls. This approach is aligned with the UK 20-year vision for AMR, the 5-year AMR NAP and the UKRI tackling infection's strategic theme. The forum is chaired and managed by the MRC. The VMD supports continued and joined up communication on phage-related work between VMD and MHRA, alongside other UK regulatory authorities such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), as part of the government's 'One Health' approach to tackling AMR.