On 7 and 9 April 2020 WHO convened the first meeting of the WHO Expert Group on Identifying Priority Fungal Pathogens. The expert group has been established to develop a priority list of fungal pathogens of public health importance and to define related research & development (R&D) priorities.
Coordination of Research and Development for AMR
The Global Action Plan (GAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance calls for an increase of sustainable investment in new treatments, diagnostic tools and other interventions. In response in 2017 WHO published a list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed to guide R&D investment. WHO has also been reviewing on an annual basis all antibacterial products in clinical development, and since 2019 preclinical candidates, to determine to what extent they address priority needs.
Expansion of R&D coordination to fungal infections
WHO has now expanded its work in R&D coordination to address the global increase of fungal infections and existing treatability and resistance issues. As an initial step, WHO is developing a priority list of pathogenic funghi of public health importance, with the support of an expert group, to identify R&D priorities.
Aim of the WHO Expert Group on Identifying Priority Fungal Pathogens
The expert group will support WHO’s efforts to address the public health threat from fungal pathogens over the coming years. The group’s aim is to:
1. develop a priority list of fungal pathogens of public health importance;
2. define related R&D priorities to align R&D investments with the identified public health needs; and
3. review the clinical antifungal pipeline on a regular basis to track trends and guide R&D priorities.
List of Experts
| Name | Affiliation | Country |
| Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo | Instituto de Salud Carlos III | Spain |
| Arunaloke Chakrabarti | Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh | India |
| Tom Chiller | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | United States of America |
| Arnaldo Colombo | Federal University of São Paulo | Brazil |
| Nelesh Govender | University of Witwatersrand | South Africa |
| Tom Harrison | St. Georges, University of London | United Kingdom |
| Jutta Heim | Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership Scientific Advisory Group | Switzerland |
| Jennie Hood (Observer) | Global AMR R&D Hub | Germany |
| Volker Rickerts | Robert-Koch-Institute | Germany |
| Jong-Hee Shin | Chonnam National University Medical School | Republic of Korea |
| Tania Sorrell | University of Sydney | Australia |
| Evelina Tacconelli | University of Verona | Italy |
Next Steps
A face-to-face meeting of the expert group will be held in early 2021 to finalize the priority list of fungal pathogens of public health importance and to conclude first review of the clinical antifungal pipeline prior to publication in mid-2021.