Research Roundup: What we’re reading this week

In this guest post, Richard Hatzfeld, communications director for the Sabin Vaccine Institute, writes about a special report on neglected tropical diseases in the Financial Times, and the need for increased research, partnerships, and support to combat these diseases. Last Thursday, October 11, the Financial Times featured a special report on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Despite the fact that NTDs impact about one in six people around the world, many people—even some of those working in global health—have never heard of them. We’re hopeful that the efforts of organizations in our community, as well as features in publications such as the Financial Times, are helping to change this. As the report describes in a number of comprehensive articles, global partnerships to combat these diseases have made huge strides in changing the way the public views NTDs. Research investment in NTDs has increased from $268 million in 2007 to $418 million in 2011. In January, the London Declaration hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation represented a new era of cooperation in the work to address NTDs, with leaders from 13 pharmaceutical companies, governments of the United States, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates, as well as the World Bank and other global health organizations offering increased support. These recent efforts are a big step in the right direction, but there is still great need in the fight to eliminate NTDs. Despite increased awareness, donations, and effort, only 0.6 percent of international development assistance for health issues is given to NTDs, according to the Financial Times report. The Financial Times special section led off with an article on the economic impact of NTDs, and pinpointed this as a reason behind the increased interest in exploring investment solutions. The Honorable John A. Kufuor (president of the Republic of Ghana, 2001-2009), NTD special envoy for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases—a program of the Sabin Vaccine Institute—highlighted this in one of the report’s articles, saying “[i]f the people are not healthy, they cannot be productive.” Drs. Peter Hotez and Maria Elena Bottazzi in the Sabin PDP lab in Houston, Texas. Photo credit: National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Several articles in the special section reported on research and development projects that are being led by Sabin and our partners—particularly those addressing neglected diseases such as Chagas disease, dengue fever, and leishmaniasis. For most of these projects, partnership is the rule rather than the exception. Currently, the Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP) has commenced Phase 1 clinical trials for a hookworm vaccine, and is projected to reach that point in 2013 for a schistosomiasis vaccine. And through our partnership with Eisai, Co. Ltd., Sabin has initiated pre-development and research phases for vaccines for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. Increased research and funding has done more than raise NTD awareness—it has also led to opportunities across the global health sphere. For example, the Financial Times highlights leishmaniasis research that may have cancer treatment implications. It is important to continue such research efforts, not only for the goal of reducing the burden of NTDs on poor communities, but for the greater benefit of advancing scientific discovery that carries the potential for broad-reaching improvements in global health and development. Read the full Financial Times report here.

It’s been a busy twelve months for the team at the Global Health Technologies Coalition! A year ago today, we launched Breakthroughs with the intention of sharing global health research and development (R&D) news and stories that bridge the divide between science and policy. Since that time, there have been a number of advances we’ve applauded and stories that have touched us. Here are some of our team’s favorite posts: This year has been another interesting and non-traditional one for congressional action on the federal budget. In a series of blog posts, we took a look at the potential for budget cuts and sequestration, and explored what this might mean for global health R&D. What do presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney (R) and Barack Obama (D) think about R&D? We gave some attention to how the nominees’ platforms might affect research to develop new global health technologies. One of the year’s most exciting scientific advances was the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the drug Truvada to be used as an HIV prevention prophylaxis among certain groups at risk for infection. We explored how FDA has developed an increasingly critical role in global health. Last year, Congress approved and funded the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, intended to promote research aimed at speeding the development of therapeutics and diagnostic tools for a wide range of diseases. While we’ve been excited about the potential for this program to speed the development of new global health technologies, we were disappointed in the lack of global health leadership when the center’s advisory council was named earlier this year. Our communications officer reflects on her personal journey with diabetes, and the difficulty that children in the developing world face when being diagnosed for neglected tropical diseases. A series of photos from our travels tell the story of how lifesaving tools are making a difference in communities across Kenya, and how current research is on the cusp of developing some of the most exciting new tools in global public health in recent years. A series of photos, like the one above, from our travels tell the story of how lifesaving tools are making a difference in communities across Kenya, and how current research is on the cusp of developing some of the most exciting new tools in global public health in recent years. Photo credit: PATH/Evelyn Hockstein We’ve featured a range of great guest bloggers as well. On World AIDS Day, leaders at the NIH and the Department of Defense both wrote about the impact their agencies have on research to help end the AIDS pandemic. Guest blogs from the US Agency for International Development and the Global Health Initiative team highlighted the importance of science, technology, and innovation to our nation’s diplomacy programs. From the need to advance women’s health and address contraceptive needs, to the gaps in the development of drugs for neglected tropical diseases, to efforts to develop new TB treatment regimens and a TB vaccine, our coalition members illustrated the critical need for an investment in science to address a range of diseases and conditions. We’ve been busy working on a few other projects this year, too. In February, we released our third annual policy report at a congressional briefing, and April brought our first analysis piece on US investments in global health R&D. It’s been quite a year, and we’re glad that you’ve been along with us for the ride! We’re confident that Breakthrough’s second year will be full of the same policy developments and excitement, breaking news from our members, and great stories of how R&D is changing lives. We hope that you stay tuned.