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Liverpool antibiotic research receives funding boost
SPR206 may be safer and just as effective as colistin.
Funding will support the development of SPR206

A grant of £250k has been awarded to the University of Liverpool to develop antibiotics for multi-drug resistant bacteria.

The money, awarded by biopharmaceutical company Spero Therapeutics, will be used by the University’s Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics (CAP) for the development of SPR206.

Initial research suggests this new antibiotic may be safer and just as effective as colistin. In the NHS, colistin is only used as a last resort treatment of multi-drug resistant bacteria because it is highly toxic.

The research will be conducted by Dr Shampa Das and Professor William Hope.

Professor Hope said: “This funding will help support further work of the CAP, where the principal task is to identify regimens to take into first-in-patient clinical studies.”

The discovery of SPR206 and its development is being supported by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. 

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS members invited to question Council candidates

RCVS members have been invited to submit questions to candidates for this year's RCVS Council election.

With 15 candidates standing for three available positions, vets have been invited to submit a question of their choosing before voting starts. These questions will be collated, with each candidate answering one question of their choice.

It is recommended that members read the candidates' biographies and statements before submitting questions. One question per member can be submitted to vetvote26@rcvs.org.uk before Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

The RCVS Council election is due to start in March.

With only two candidates for two positions on the VN Council, there will be no VN Council elections this year. Meghan Conroy RVN and Lauren Hargrave RVN will begin their three year terms at RCVS' AGM in July.