| Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, isn't new. Not long after the introduction of penicillin for the treatment of bacterial infections in 1943, resistance was observed for Staphylococcus aureus - a bacteria that causes skin infection. That was followed by pneumococcal penicillin resistance in the 1960s, causing pneumonia and meningitis and, in turn, increased mortality. Over the years AMR has come to be known as the silent pandemic because of the threat it poses to human and animal health, as an increasing range of bacteria and other microorganisms become resistant to already available treatments. Given the current trend, more than 39 million people could die globally from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years, according to a study published in The Lancet. Last month, Indian drugmaker Wockhardt won local regulatory approval for its new drug nafithromycin to fight pneumonia-causing superbugs in the country, where rampant use of antibiotics has made the population vulnerable to AMR. Marketed as Miqnaf, the short three-day treatment is the first new drug for infections caused by multi-drug resistant pathogens in three decades. Wockhardt has a pipeline of six formulation in the works, including Zaynich, a drug to treat critically ill patients with infections that's undergoing global phase-3 trial and is expected to be launched later this year, Chairman Habil Khorakhiwala told me in December. As large pharmaceutical firms retreat from conducting novel antibiotic research to more lucrative fields like oncology and chronic diseases, the effort by Wockhardt and some of its local peers has positioned India as the only developing economy conducting novel antibiotic discovery — providing a model for research in other countries. Orchid Pharma is another Indian company that's received US Food and Drug Administration approval for its drug to treat urinary tract infections, while smaller Bugworks Research is working on solutions to treat critical care infections. "India is becoming a key area for us," said Yann Ferrisse, business development & partner engagement director at Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership. Indian companies' expertise in manufacturing antibiotics has helped them facilitate many clinical trials for complex cases, as well as spur innovation, he said. Should Wockhardt succeed with its pipeline to combat antimicrobial resistance, it could show the way for other smaller firms in this research field to take. "I can see that definitely becoming more of a kind of established model" for smaller biotech firms, said Thomas Maguire, a senior analyst at health analytics company Airfinity. But innovation in itself is no guarantee that AMR will be checked. Inappropriate and abundant use of these therapies can speed up the development of resistance and make the new solutions less effective. Using antibiotics responsibly — as in not taking them to treat common cold or flu — remains the best option to prevent the spread of AMR. — Satviki Sanjay | 
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