Wockhardt Launches Antibiotic Academy to Tackle Rising Antimicrobial Resistance in India
Mumbai: Wockhardt Limited has announced the launch of the Wockhardt Antibiotic Academy, an open scientific learning platform aimed at promoting patient-centric scientific dialogue and tackling the growing challenge of multidrug resistance. The initiative seeks to facilitate continuous medical education, scientific discussions and the exchange of real-world clinical experience among healthcare professionals across India.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of the continued emergence and acceleration of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) despite the introduction of more than 300 antibiotics since the discovery of penicillin nearly a century ago. According to Wockhardt, around 10 lakh patients die annually in India due to multidrug-resistant infections, which is more than four times the number of Indian lives lost annually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Habil Khorakiwala, Founder Chairman of Wockhardt, said there is an urgent need not only for new antibiotics such as Zaynich, but also for a science-based platform that encourages constructive dialogue on antimicrobial resistance and its appropriate management. He stressed the importance of using the right antibiotic for the right patient at the right time and expressed hope that the Academy would promote a deeper understanding of the current realities of drug resistance and evidence-based solutions that can help clinicians save patients' lives.
The Wockhardt Antibiotic Academy will be accessible to the registered medical fraternity across India. It is intended to support continuous medical education by enabling healthcare professionals to exchange knowledge, participate in scientific discussions and share real-world clinical experiences.
Dr. Subramaniam Swaminathan, President of the Clinical Infectious Diseases Society, India, said antimicrobial resistance cannot be addressed through guidelines alone and that clinical decisions made at the patient's bedside are critical. He noted that such decisions can improve when physicians learn from one another and collectively build evidence. He further highlighted that antimicrobial stewardship continues to evolve, with practices considered appropriate a decade ago being refined by newer evidence concerning diagnosis, dosing, treatment duration and de-escalation. He said initiatives that bring clinicians together to exchange knowledge and remain closely connected to science can contribute to addressing resistant organisms and improving patient outcomes.
Wockhardt stated that the Academy reflects its belief that advancing the fight against antimicrobial resistance requires a shared platform where knowledge, experience and evidence can come together. The company said its role is to convene, enable and invest in this dialogue, while the science belongs to the wider community that advances it and to clinicians who translate scientific knowledge into better outcomes for patients globally.
According to the company, the Academy represents the first step towards building a nationwide scientific movement. Wockhardt said it hopes to collaborate with clinicians across the country to strengthen efforts against antimicrobial resistance, adding that the ultimate measure of the Academy's success will be the number of patients whose lives are saved through better-informed clinical decisions.
Annapurna Das, President, India & NCE Emerging Markets, Wockhardt, said that every breakthrough antibiotic is only the beginning and that its true value emerges through robust evidence and the judgement developed by clinicians caring for patients every day. She added that as a company involved in discovering, developing and providing antibiotics, Wockhardt recognises that it is part of both the challenge and the solution.
Wockhardt said it will continue contributing its scientific expertise while facilitating interactions with leading national and international experts in infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. The company has invited clinicians, scientific societies, hospitals and policymakers to participate in the Academy, contribute their expertise and help shape the collaborative initiative, with the stated objective that patients and life must win.
Wockhardt is a research-based global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company. Its New Drug Discovery programme has focused on unmet needs in antibacterial drugs aimed at addressing untreatable superbugs. The company stated that it is the only company in the world where the USFDA has granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) status to six antibacterial discovery programmes, comprising three programmes effective against Gram-negative and three against Gram-positive untreatable superbugs.
The company has a comprehensive drug-discovery team and clinical organisation and employs around 3,200 people representing 27 nationalities. Wockhardt has a presence in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Mexico, Russia and several other countries, with manufacturing and research facilities in India and the UK and a manufacturing facility in Ireland. The company also has a significant presence in Europe and India, with 78% of its global revenues coming from international businesses.
