PROPOSED FUTURE COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENT
The following points summarize the proposals of BVGH and BIO going forward in terms of continued work among the industry and
stakeholders in neglected disease R&D:
For companies
- Increase R&D participation in partnering mechanisms and seek collaboration opportunities.
- Pursue partnerships as a way to access non-dilutive financing to engage in global health R&D.
- Seek out existing incentives and innovative financing mechanisms that are available to companies working in neglected diseases.
- Expand R&D efforts beyond HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, and leishmaniasis to other neglected diseases.
- Invite key global health stakeholders to industry events and meetings to increase the neglected disease dialogue in traditional
biotechnology circles.
For stakeholders (academia, governments, nonprofits, foundations)
- Actively target small to medium-sized biotechnology companies through existing industry engagement initiatives to increase
engagement with the sector.
- Continue to fund existing part-nering mechanisms, such as PDPs, and increase specific targeting of biotech for participation.
- Bring forth new financial incentive proposals that specifically meet the needs of small to medium-sized biotechnology companies
and that have the endorsement and buy-in of the biotechnology sector.
- Continue support of existing incentives and collaboration mechanisms, such as the FDA Priority Review Voucher, Orphan Drug
Act, and WIPO Re:Search programs, that are compatible with biotechnology company participation.
- Engage the biotechnology sector leadership at the highest level by involving CEOs and top executives.
CONCLUSION
Data sets and figures aside, the most important finding of this report is not necessarily what has been accomplishd to date,
but rather what is possible moving forward. To begin to solve the unmet needs of the developing world, both biotechnology
companies and global health groups must ramp up commitment and involvement and seek to engage each other through partnerships.The
biotech sector's capacity for innovation, not to mention willingness to take financial risks, is incredibly encouraging. But
with only 5% of all biotechnology companies involved in neglected disease R&D, imagine what engaging the other 95% could accomplish.
REFERENCES
1. BVGH and BIO, "Developing New Drugs and Vaccines for Neglected Diseases of the Poor: The Product Developer Landscape"
(March 2012),
http://www.bvgh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=h6a0cJK9drg%3d&tabid=39.
2. BVGH and BIO, "Biotechnology: Bringing Innovation to Neglected Disease Research and Development" (June 2012),
http://www.bvgh.org/2012-biotech-report.aspx.
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