International partnership to develop new drugs for neglected diseases
The French non-governmental organisation (NGO) 'Médecins sans Frontières' (MSF) is to join forces with public sector research institutes around the world to develop drugs for diseases which they believe are neglected by the pharmaceutical industry. The 'drugs for neglected diseases initiative' (DNDi) is set to begin in July, and has been motivated by a report, published by MSF and a working group of international health experts, which highlighted the lack of research into drugs for diseases affecting many poorer communities, including leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and sleeping sickness. Of nearly 1,400 new drugs developed between 1975 and 1999, only one per cent was for tropical diseases and tuberculosis. DNDi is aimed at changing this balance by developing a needs-driven portfolio of new drugs and adapting existing drugs so that they can be used in developing countries. All new knowledge gained will be placed in the public domain.