ATCC boasts an extensive collection of clinical and environmental drug-resistant bacterial isolates that support the development of effective solutions against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Our portfolio of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) strains includes organisms resistant to key antibiotics—such as beta-lactams, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones—and is backed by whole-genome sequencing data and susceptibility profiling. Whether you're validating a new diagnostic platform or screening compounds for efficacy, ATCC’s AMR strains provide the trusted foundation needed to advance your research with confidence.

• Create next-generation antibiotics and therapeutics
• Design molecular-based detection assays for rapid diagnostics
• Establish updated sterility and infection control protocols
• Advance epidemiological studies and resistance surveillance

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to pose a critical threat to global health. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 2.8 million AMR infections occur annually, resulting in over 35,000 deaths. The burden of AMR has intensified in recent years, with hospital-onset infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa increasing by 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and resistant pathogens like Candida auris surging nearly five-fold between 2019 and 2022 (cdc.gov).

To guide global AMR research and drug development, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its updated 2024 Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, which categorizes 24 antibiotic-resistant pathogens into critical, high, and medium priority tiers. This prioritization is based on factors such as transmissibility, treatment limitations, resistance trends, healthcare impact, and global mortality.

Supporting this initiative, ATCC provides a curated collection of authenticated, multidrug-resistant strains aligned with the WHO’s priority pathogen list. Each strain includes detailed source data, susceptibility profiles, and annotated hybrid genome assemblies—empowering research in diagnostics, therapeutics, and infection control.