The Italian Medicines Agency launches the second Independent Research Call for year 2025, which strengthens the commitment to support non-profit studies in strategic areas for the National Health Service. After success of the first call dedicated to rare diseases, this new initiative focuses on two crucial aspects, the fight against antimicrobial resistance and precision medicine, making a EUR 20 million funding available with the aim of financing non-commercial studies, capable of generating new scientific evidence to the benefit of citizens’ health and of the entire NHS. “Promoting independent research is one of the priorities of my mandate – said AIFA’s President Robert Nisticò– A commitment maintained through calls funded by the Agency, in particular in areas of potential low interest for profit research and in areas of strategic importance for our health service, in order to contribute concretely to NHS innovation and sustainability”. 

The Call, financed through the Fund made up of the contribution equal to 5% of the promotional costs incurred annually by pharmaceutical companies, is addressed to Italian researchers from public bodies and institutions, who intend to submit independent research projects on antimicrobial resistance and precision medicine. The Call will be published with the relevant documentation on the Agency's portal starting from September 15. Proposals can be sent from Monday September 15 2025 at 12.00 (noon) to Tuesday November 18 2025 at 12.00 (noon), exclusively through the new Independent Research System (SRI), available on the AIFA services portal.

“Antibiotic resistance is a silent pandemic, which according to the latest estimates by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) not only causes 12,000 deaths a year in our country, but also generates economic damage, with an annual cost for our NHS of EUR 2.4 billion and with 2.7 million beds occupied due to these infections”, says AIFA’s President Robert Nisticò. “ For this reason, in the face of this emergency, it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive approach and to encourage research, with the aim of ensuring optimal use of antimicrobials, preventing them from becoming blunt weapons.” The Call aims to evaluate new therapeutic combinations of antimicrobials; foster innovative strategies to improve their effectiveness; Identify predictive markers of response to these drugs and use new diagnostic tools, such as rapid tests. 

Particular attention is also devoted to precision medicine, to the potential of pharmacogenomics and to the contribution of Artificial Intelligence, in particular in oncology, neurology and psychiatry. “This is one of the biggest revolutions in recent decades and is crucial for making therapies increasingly personalised: understanding how genetics influence the response to medicines – concludes AIFA’s President – allows to optimise their effectiveness and reduce adverse effects, rationalise prescriptions and improve the quality of life of patients, especially those taking more than one medicine. Research is essential. New knowledge, combined with technology, can contribute to increasingly targeted therapeutic decisions”.