Conferences

As we are ever more acutely aware of the threats of antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as MRSA and C. difficile it has become more widely accepted that new drugs are needed which act upon new microbial targets. However, the cost to pharma of developing a new antibiotic - which could be rendered useless before the investment in its discovery has been recouped - has meant that many companies have no new drugs in the pipeline and more worryingly, have no active research in the area.

This timely, focused meeting builds upon the highly successful event in 2008 attended by over 170 delegates. It brings together international experts from big pharma, spin-out start ups, academics and national reference laboratories to provide an over-arching view of the field.

The conference will be split into two half-day sessions on the following themes:

- Clinical Problems
- Solutions and New Antibiotics

The conference aims to bring together scientists and clinicians from a range of sectors including the pharmaceutical industry, the NHS, academia, charities and funding councils. It is hoped that this meeting will be a focal point to discuss the critical issues that underpin the future of antibiotics; the clinical impact of hospital acquired infection; the development of new classes of antibacterials, the identification of novel targets and the solutions to the scientific and commercial obstacles to antibiotic research.

http://www.rsc.org/ConferencesAndEvents/RSCConferences/Antibiotics2011/index.asp