Professor Piddock pointed out that 16 new antibacterial agents were approved and brought to market between 1983-1987, compared with less than four agents since 2008.
Microbiologist at the University of Birmingham, Prof Laura Piddock, told BBC's Newsnight that antibiotics are miracle drugs which underpin all areas of 21st Century medicine.
Unusually, Prof Piddock, and other specialists like her, are campaigning to persuade governments and industry to do more to preserve current antibiotics, and find new ones.