The World Health Organization has released 3 new target product profiles aimed at guiding the development of urgently needed antibiotics for severe drug-resistant infections, including multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections, resistant gram-positive infections in vulnerable patients, and bacterial meningitis.
As antimicrobial resistance continues to threaten global health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released 3 new target product profiles (TPPs) designed to guide the development of next-generation antibacterial therapies for some of the world’s most dangerous drug-resistant infections.
The new TPPs provide detailed guidance on the minimum and preferred characteristics of future antibiotics, helping researchers, pharmaceutical developers, regulators, and funding organizations align innovation with the most urgent clinical needs. The profiles focus on 3 major areas: severe multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections, resistant gram-positive infections in immunosuppressed and critically ill patients, and bacterial meningitis.
According to WHO officials, the guidance aims to accelerate the development of treatments that can address rising levels of antimicrobial resistance while also ensuring that new therapies remain affordable and accessible worldwide.
“The scientific community has developed and approved new antibiotics in recent years. This is good but unfortunately not sufficient to catch up with evolving drug-resistant bacteria, especially against those of greatest concern,” Yvan Hutin, MD, director of antimicrobial resistance at the WHO, said in a statement. “We need a reliable pipeline with new antibacterial agents that are innovative, affordable, [and] accessible to all those who need them.”
The initiative follows the WHO’s 2025 analysis of the global antibacterial pipeline, which identified approximately 90 antibacterial agents currently in preclinical or clinical development. However, the report found that relatively few candidates target the most dangerous priority pathogens and even fewer represent truly novel approaches.
The first TPP focuses on severe multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections, including those caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These pathogens are often responsible for bloodstream infections and hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia. Such infections frequently lead to prolonged hospital stays, increased intensive care needs, and higher mortality rates, placing significant pressure on already strained health systems.
A second TPP addresses severe gram-positive infections among immunosuppressed and critically ill patients, with particular attention to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Patients with weakened immune systems—such as transplant recipients or those undergoing cancer treatment—are especially vulnerable to these infections, which can lead to life-threatening bloodstream infections and extended stays in intensive care units.
The third TPP targets bacterial meningitis, including infections caused by penicillin- or cephalosporin-resistant pathogens. Despite advances in treatment and vaccination, bacterial meningitis remains a devastating disease worldwide. The WHO estimates that approximately 1 in 6 people who develop bacterial meningitis dies and that approximately 1 in 5 survivors experiences long-term complications such as hearing loss, epilepsy, or cognitive impairment.
The WHO released 3 target product profiles to guide development of antibiotics for severe drug-resistant infections.
The profiles focus on multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections, resistant gram-positive infections in vulnerable patients, and bacterial meningitis.
WHO officials say stronger global coordination is needed to develop innovative, accessible antibiotics to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Beyond defining clinical targets, the TPPs outline important benchmarks for drug safety, effectiveness, pharmacokinetics, and quality. They also emphasize the need for treatments suitable for diverse patient populations, including neonates, children, immunocompromised patients, and individuals in low-resource settings.
The WHO developed the profiles through extensive global consultation with researchers, clinicians, public health experts, and industry stakeholders. The goal is to create a shared framework that can guide both scientific research and investment decisions.
In addition to stimulating innovation, the TPPs emphasize the importance of integrating antibiotic stewardship and equitable access principles early in the development process. WHO leaders say that aligning research priorities with real-world clinical needs will help ensure that new antibiotics remain effective tools against emerging drug-resistant threats.
The effort is part of a broader collaboration between the WHO and the European Commission Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority under the EU4Health program, which aims to strengthen global preparedness for antimicrobial resistance and other health emergencies.
By outlining clear targets for new antibacterial therapies, the WHO hopes the new profiles will help revitalize the global antibiotic pipeline and accelerate the development of treatments capable of addressing some of the most dangerous infectious threats facing modern medicine.
