Clinical Positioning & Developing a Target Product Profile (TPP)

Key Considerations:

  • Defining and justifying the intended clinical use, patient population and unmet need
  • Developing and refining a TPP, including links to existing TPPs
  • Positioning a product in relation to priority pathogens, unmet clinical needs and the current treatment landscape


Clinical positioning is a critical early step and should underpin all subsequent R&D decisions. Defining the intended patient population, indication and unmet need establishes the products value proposition, including its potential clinical impact, relevance within the current pipeline and treatment landscape, and helps demonstrate why there is a market need for the proposed product. A well-defined Target Product Profile translates this clinical positioning into a structured set of desired product characteristics. By clearly defining the desired attributes of a new antimicrobial agent, TPPs guide research and development efforts, facilitate regulatory approval, and ensure that the final product meets clinical and market needs. Utilising available guidance documents and resources can aid in the effective creation and implementation of TPPs.


Resources

13 resources

Webinar / Video
GARDP

Target candidate profiles and target product profiles for new antimicrobials – REVIVE

Explores how to define and apply target candidate and product profiles in antibacterial drug development, featuring academic, industry, and WHO perspectives on aligning product goals with clinical and public health value.


Webinar / Video
IMI AMR Accelerator

COMBINE Webinar on Developing Target Product Profiles for Antibiotics

Discusses the complexities of developing Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for antibiotics, highlighting insights from CARB-X, Evotec, and GSK on aligning TPPs with patient, regulatory, and market needs across the drug development lifecycle.


Webinar / Video
IMI AMR Accelerator

COMBINE Webinar on Developing ideal in vivo screening cascades to support Target Product Profiles

This follow-on webinar explores how to select an appropriate in vivo model and conduct studies based on a specific TPP.


Reference Document
WHO

Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, 2024

Highlights antibiotic-resistant bacteria of greatest public health concern, grouping 15 pathogen families into critical, high and medium priority categories. It is intended to guide antibacterial research, development, investment and public health action.


Reference Document
WHO

Antibacterial products in preclinical development for bacterial priority pathogens

WHO’s 2025 update of the global review of antibacterial therapeutic products in preclinical development includes 232 antibacterial products in development as of 15 February 2025. The dashboard provides an interactive overview of products in development against priority bacterial pathogens, with filters by development stage, pathogen, treatment type and developer.


Reference Document
WHO

Antibacterial products in clinical development for bacterial priority pathogens

Provides an overview of antibacterial products in clinical development (Phase I-III) as of 15 February 2025, helping developers understand the pipeline, identify unmet needs and consider how their product could be positioned and differentiated.


Reference Document
NIH

NIH SEED: Creating a Target Product Profile for New Drug Products

Offers guidance on desired characteristics for new antibacterial agents to address global health priorities.


Reference Document
WHO

Target Product Profiles for Needed Antibacterial Agents

Provides TPPs for new antibacterial therapeutics for enteric fever, gonorrhoea, neonatal sepsis and urinary tract infections. Each profile sets out the minimum and preferred characteristics of a future treatment, helping developers, funders and regulators align product development with priority public health needs.


Reference Document
WHO

Target Product Profiles for New Antibacterial Agents

Provides TPPs for new antibacterial agents to treat severe multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, resistant Gram-positive infections in immunosuppressed and critically ill patients, and bacterial meningitis. The profiles set out desired characteristics covering efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, administration, stability, access and affordability to guide development towards urgent public health needs.


Reference Document
WHO

Target product profiles for oral therapy of urinary tract infections

Provides target product profiles for new oral antibacterial treatments for acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (cystitis) and acute pyelonephritis. It sets out minimum and preferred characteristics—including target populations, activity against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, efficacy, safety, dosing and formulation—to guide developers towards therapies that address priority clinical needs.


Website Page
CF AMR Syndicate

CF AMR Syndicate: Therapeutic TPPs

Presents patient-focused TPPs for cystic fibrosis-related infections, emphasising stakeholder engagement.


Guidance
NHS England

NHS England NICE subscription model guidance

NHS England’s antimicrobial subscription model guidance. Contracts are awarded following strict eligibility and assessment criteria, focusing on priority-resistant pathogens.


Online Database
GARDP

AntibioticDB – REVIVE

Open-access database that catalogues and describes known antibacterial agents, consolidating data from diverse sources that include the primary research literature, patents and conference abstracts.






PACE Delivery Partners

Delivery Partner Network members with expertise relevant to this theme