Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what investment strategy they have devised to address the gap in funding for antifungal development, particularly in light of the World Health Organization (WHO) fungal priority pathogen list.

The UK Health Security Agency is collaborating with medicinal chemists at the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kings College London, to develop new antimicrobials with novel modes of action for the World Health Organization’s priority pathogens. A series of compounds which evade efflux-mediated resistance are in development. Early-stage pre-clinical development has gained support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases through its Preclinical Services team, for studies on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and efficacy.

While it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has invested more than £6 million in research into fungal infection.