The New Landscape: Drug Development for Neglected Diseases

Every year “neglected” diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria take 3 million lives. Because their victims cannot afford first-world drug prices, they have historically attracted little investment from the pharmaceutical industry. Yet, since 2000, product development public-private partnerships (PDPs) have generated at least sixty new collaborative research projects. Despite relatively little public funding or new policy initiatives, the potential of the PDP approach has far reaching implications for global health research policy, as well as the philanthropic, industry, and government sectors.

To examine the potential of PDPs, Brookings will convene a discussion with opening remarks by Dr. Mary Moran, project director, Pharmaceutical Research and Development Policy Group, the George Institute. Dr. Moran is the principal author of a recent London School of Economics study titled The New Landscape of Neglected Disease Drug Development. A group of leading experts will participate: Amanda Glassman, deputy director, Health Financing Task Force, United Nations Foundation; Dr. Lynn Marks, senior vice president, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Medicine Development Center, Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Chris Hentschel, president & CEO, Medicines for Malaria Venture. Lael Brainard, vice president and director of the Global Economy and Development Center at Brookings, will moderate the discussion.

An audience question and answer session will follow the presentation.