GARDP showcases C4D at 6th H3D Symposium in South Africa
Dr Alan Hennessy speaking at the 6th H3D Symposium in South Africa. Photo credit: H3D Foundation
C4D was well represented at the 6th H3D Symposium, held from 13-16 October 2026 at the Arabella Hotel, Golf & Spa in the Western Cape, South Africa. Hosted by H3D Foundation, a member of the C4D network, the symposium brought together leading experts from around the world to explore the theme "Chemistry and biology to address infectious diseases."
During Session 1: Strategic Perspectives on Infectious Disease Drug Discovery, Dr Alan Hennessy of GARDP (Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership) presented a talk entitled "Antibiotic Drug Discovery at GARDP – Challenges and Opportunities." The presentation formed part of a programme that examined current approaches to tackling infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through innovation, collaboration and drug discovery.
As one of the 25 organisations that make up the C4D network, GARDP highlighted the importance of international partnerships in addressing the growing threat of AMR. The presentation explored the scientific and strategic challenges associated with developing new antibiotics, while also demonstrating how collaborative initiatives can help strengthen the global antibiotic discovery pipeline.
A key theme of the talk was the need to access new sources of chemical diversity. Through its global network of scientific hubs, C4D is helping researchers explore nature's largely untapped potential for antibiotic discovery. By connecting expertise, resources and biological collections from around the world, the initiative aims to increase the likelihood of identifying novel compounds that could form the basis of future treatments for drug-resistant infections.
Opening welcome by Prof Kelly Chibale (Founder & CEO of the H3D Foundation) at the 6th H3D Symposium in South Africa. Photo credit: H3D Foundation
The symposium provided an excellent platform to raise awareness of C4D among leading researchers, drug discovery organisations, foundation funders and product development partnerships working across the infectious disease landscape. Over four days, participants explored the latest advances in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, infectious disease research and drug discovery technologies, while highlighting the critical role of partnerships in addressing global health challenges. The session included presentations from organisations including Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Wellcome Trust, LifeArc, GARDP, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and H3D underscored the importance of international collaboration in delivering new medicines. As both GARDP and H3D are members of the C4D network, the event showcased the strength of the growing global community working together to unlock nature's chemical diversity and accelerate the discovery of urgently needed antibiotics.
C4D thanks Dr Hennessy for showcasing the initiative at the symposium and contributing to important discussions on the future of antibiotic drug discovery.
Delegates of the 6th H3D Symposium in South Africa. Photo credit: H3D Foundation