[Ip-health] (full text) More medicines for neglected and emerging infectious diseases

[Suerie Moon]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
    =93OECD is considering several streams of analytical work relevant to t=
hese discussions with a view to providing a foundation for evidence-based p=
olicymaking, including: exploring the potential value of collaborative mech=
anisms for intellectual property rights (IPRs), (such as patent pools or ot=
her intellectual property and data management entities); pursuing the viabi=
lity of a global, virtual drug development network drawing on existing init=
iatives (e.g. WHO/TDR and PDPs); and exploring alternative policy mechanism=
s to reward innovation.=94
  Bulleton of the WHO,   Volume 85, Number 8, August 2007, 569-648  More me=
dicines for neglected and emerging infectious diseases  Jack Radischa  Coun=
tries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) a=
ccount for about 80% of gross expenditure in research and development globa=
lly,1 but their collective health research output has not led to new medici=
nes for many of the infectious diseases that afflict developing countries; =
human african trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, Chagas disea=
se, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.2 Development and delivery of m=
edicines for such diseases face significant challenges, including cost, saf=
ety, stability, formulation and resistance. Low returns on investment combi=
ned with high developmental risks discourage business from engaging in this=
 type of research. The Global Forum consistently estimates that only 10% of=
 global health research is devoted to conditions that account for 90% of th=
e global
 disease burden.3
  The OECD recently held a high level forum in the Netherlands to increase =
international momentum on research, development and delivery of medicines, =
vaccines and diagnostics for neglected and emerging infectious diseases. Th=
is forum included government officials both from OECD and developing countr=
ies and representatives from nongovernmental organizations, academia and in=
dustry. The Noordwijk Medicines Agenda describes the general consensus of t=
his meeting surrounding problems, goals, and work that needs to be undertak=
en to improve the availability of medicines for neglected and emerging infe=
ctious diseases.4
  The Forum recognized that in addition to humanitarian reasons for fightin=
g infectious diseases in developing countries, OECD countries have a self-i=
nterest in combating infectious diseases. Pathogens can spread far from whe=
re they first developed due to increases in trade, international tourism an=
d climate change. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) exemplified how =
an infectious disease may quickly transcend borders,5 triggering important =
economic ripple effects globally, even in countries with few cases.6
  The Forum considered how to increase the availability of new health techn=
ologies and how to reduce the cost of doing so. Participants underscored su=
ccessful advances made by Product Development Partnerships (PDPs)7 in the d=
iscovery, development and delivery of medicines for neglected diseases. Man=
y participants voiced strong support for the objectives and approach of the=
 chemical compound screening process as done by the Special Programme for R=
esearch and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). They pointed out the econo=
mies of scale that a virtual drug discovery network of researchers worldwid=
e could achieve. WHO/TDR=92s success suggests how cooperation through a mod=
el of open innovation8,9 might be broadened to address the major noncommuni=
cable diseases in markets where medicines are likely to become increasingly=
 fragmented due to genomics and targeted therapies. There was broad agreeme=
nt on the need to garner long-term, sustainable financing for PDPs, althoug=
h there was no
 consensus on which means should be used to ensure this. Participants also =
noted the importance of using for-profit business models, to complement PDP=
s, in the development of new medicines, vaccines and diagnostics for neglec=
ted diseases.
  Meeting the cost of scaling-up PDP investments needs to be accompanied by=
 more accurate forecasting of demand for medicines required for neglected d=
iseases,10 as this would reduce the risk to investors and potential innovat=
ors and could create stronger incentives to service these markets. Particip=
ants made it clear that many health issues in developing countries cannot a=
nd will not be solved by developments in health technologies alone. Neverth=
eless, such technologies are important and efforts are needed to create the=
 innovation environment that will rapidly deliver new medicines for all typ=
es of disease.
  Participants discussed policy mechanisms designed to spur innovation in m=
edicines for neglected infectious diseases, i.e. =93push=94 and =93pull=94 =
incentives.11 The Forum articulated a coherent, cross-ministry, political m=
essage about the need for improving the availability of medicines for negle=
cted and emerging infectious diseases. OECD is considering several streams =
of analytical work relevant to these discussions with a view to providing a=
 foundation for evidence-based policymaking, including: exploring the poten=
tial value of collaborative mechanisms for intellectual property rights (IP=
Rs), (such as patent pools or other intellectual property and data manageme=
nt entities); pursuing the viability of a global, virtual drug development =
network drawing on existing initiatives (e.g. WHO/TDR and PDPs); and explor=
ing alternative policy mechanisms to reward innovation. ■

  References
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  Affiliations
   Organization for Economic      Cooperation and Development, 2, rue Andr=
=E9 Pascal, Paris, France,      75016 (e-mail: jack.radisch@oecd.org).