Encouraging Development of Therapeutics for Neglected Diseases 2011

In recent years there has been a strong increase in funding and investment in the development of new therapeutics for neglected diseases, many of which are tropical infectious diseases. The reasons why companies and researchers focus on the developing treatments for these diseases are diverse, and there is a real need for better coordination and sharing of best practices in order to make investments as effective as possible.

While much of the focus is on early efforts to identify new targets or identify new therapeutics for individual diseases, perhaps the greater challenge lies in the creation of a sustainable long-term framework. The cost of discovery projects can be low, whereas the cost and challenges of moving projects into later stage efforts to conduct clinical evaluations create the need for strong, objective methods for prioritization. How can communication and collaboration be improved across this field, and particularly with those in less developed countries where the treatments are needed and must be implemented? What best practices can be shared, particularly with consortia and public-private partnerships, to help work in this vital field progress more rapidly and more effectively?