Nwaka Solomon
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), P.O. Box 1826, CH-1215 Geneva 15, Switzerland.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2005 Oct;99 Suppl 1:S20-9. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2005.06.003.
Traditional pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) strategy has failed to address the desperate need for new antimalarial drugs. The populations affected are too poor to attract commercially-driven R&D. Over the last few years, a new model, the public-private partnership for product development, has radically changed the antimalarial R&D landscape. The partnerships bring together academic and industry expertise with funding from governmental, philanthropic and charitable sources. The Medicines for Malaria Venture, a not-for-profit foundation based in Geneva, aims to develop new antimalarials for developing countries through public-private partnership. It is currently managing a portfolio of around 20 projects at various stages of development. However, as in all drug R&D, some of these projects will fail. The portfolio approach helps to maximize the chances of success, but there are obvious challenges, including financial and managerial ones. Proactive management of the two vital interfaces in the drug supply chain is important for success. Upstream, basic research must be aligned with translational research in order to ensure a continuous supply of leads into the development pipeline. Meanwhile, downstream, drug discovery and development must be aligned with access to ensure optimal health impact. All stages require partnership, sustainable financing and the engagement of disease-endemic countries. The recent G8 report on Africa has lent support to mechanisms aimed at improving health and achieving the Millenium Development Goals.
传统的药物研发战略未能满足对抗疟新药的迫切需求。受影响人群过于贫困，无法吸引商业驱动的研发投入。在过去几年里，一种新的模式，即产品开发公私合营模式，彻底改变了抗疟药物研发的格局。这些合作关系汇聚了学术界和产业界的专业知识，并获得了政府、慈善和公益机构的资金支持。疟疾药物事业组织是一家位于日内瓦的非营利性基金会，旨在通过公私合营为发展中国家开发新型抗疟药物。该组织目前正在管理约20个处于不同开发阶段的项目组合。然而，与所有药物研发一样，其中一些项目将会失败。项目组合方法有助于最大限度地提高成功几率，但也存在明显挑战，包括财务和管理方面的挑战。积极管理药品供应链中的两个关键环节对成功至关重要。在 upstream，基础研究必须与转化研究相结合，以确保为开发流程持续提供线索。与此同时，在 downstream，药物发现与开发必须与药物可及性相结合，以确保产生最佳的健康影响。所有阶段都需要合作、可持续融资以及疾病流行国家的参与。八国集团最近发布的关于非洲的报告为旨在改善健康状况和实现千年发展目标的机制提供了支持。
