The FINANCIAL — The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) released on February 18 the 2014 Status Report on pharmaceutical R&D projects to address neglected diseases.
The report lists 186 R&D projects supported by IFPMA members to develop new or improved medicines and vaccines for 11 neglected conditions1 that each year kill or disable millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. Of the 186 treatments or vaccines R&D projects, 28 are undergoing early stage clinical trials, while 10 currently go through the final stages of demonstrating their efficacy, quality, and safety.
The ten more imminent breakthroughs concern TB (3 projects), malaria (5 projects), dengue (1 project), and intestinal worms (1 project), nearing the end of what is on average a 10 to 15 years R&D process, according to IFPMA.
Vaccines R&D projects have tripled in the last ten years and the pipeline now holds one promising vaccine for malaria (currently under evaluation at the European Medicines Agency), one for dengue (phase III), for which at present no therapy exists, as well as three fast-tracked vaccines for Ebola (phase I/II).
164 (88%) R&D projects for neglected diseases are collaborative efforts, involving partnerships between IFPMA member companies and more than 80 partners from universities, public and private sector institutes and non-governmental organizations.
IFPMA member companies are also involved in over 40 partnerships2 to support capacity-strengthening the projects that aim to bolster local health systems and capacity, as well as provide safe water and sanitation, and public awareness on disease prevention.
Adding to these efforts, the pharmaceutical industry continues to deliver on its 20123 pledge of 1.4 billion annual treatments through 2020 to control or eliminate the nine neglected diseases responsible for more than 90% of the global neglected diseases burden. These donations support WHO’s mass drug administration programs for neglected diseases.
Discussion about this post