A recent report commissioned by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) examines the opportunities and challenges associated with initiatives aimed at stimulating research and development (R&D) of treatments targeting neglected tropical diseases.

According to the report, there are several systemic gaps in the R&D model for NTDs. These include: insufficient dedication to basic research efforts aimed at these diseases; inadequate financial and commercial incentives for further investment in these diseases during applied research and development stages; and the possibility that even if developed, these drugs may still be too costly for populations in developing countries.

The report lays out various mechanisms that can stimulate research and discovery activities in relation to NTDs. Some of these mechanisms are: Open databases or compound libraries, R&D grants aimed at specific research outcomes, R&D prizes that provide payments to R&D entities for achieving a particular outcome, product development partnerships that are comprised of private partnerships involving a combination of grant funding, R&D partnerships focused on product development, and an R&D treaty which is made up of an international agreement to increase funding commitments for R&D into NTDs.  However, many of these mechanisms are in the early development stages and therefore difficult to currently assess their effectiveness. Therefore, the report also provides a model for evaluating mechanisms incentivizing R&D into NTDs.

The full report is available here.

To learn more about NTDs visit here.