Weber Callie J, Hargan-Calvopiña Joseph, Graef Katy M, Manner Cathyryne K, Dent Jennifer
BIO Ventures for Global Health, 2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1950, Seattle, WA 98121, USA.
Trop Med Infect Dis. 2019 Jan 9;4(1):11. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed4010011.
Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic disease that affects over 200 million people worldwide, and with over 700 million people estimated to be at risk of contracting this disease, it is a pressing issue in global health. However, research and development (R&D) to develop new approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating schistosomiasis has been relatively limited. Praziquantel, a drug developed in the 1970s, is the only agent used in schistosomiasis mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns, indicating a critical need for a diversified therapeutic pipeline. Further, gaps in the vaccine and diagnostic pipelines demonstrate a need for early-stage innovation in all areas of schistosomiasis product R&D. As a platform for public-private partnerships (PPPs), the WIPO Re:Search consortium engages the private sector in early-stage R&D for neglected diseases by forging mutually beneficial collaborations and facilitating the sharing of intellectual property (IP) assets between the for-profit and academic/non-profit sectors. The Consortium connects people, resources, and ideas to fill gaps in neglected disease product development pipelines by leveraging the strengths of these two sectors. Using WIPO Re:Search as an example, this article highlights the opportunities for the PPP model to play a key role in the elimination of schistosomiasis.
血吸虫病是一种急性和慢性疾病，全球有超过2亿人受其影响，估计有7亿多人有感染这种疾病的风险，这是全球卫生领域的一个紧迫问题。然而，开发预防、诊断和治疗血吸虫病新方法的研究与开发（R&D）相对有限。吡喹酮是20世纪70年代开发的一种药物，是血吸虫病大规模药物治疗（MDA）运动中使用的唯一药物，这表明迫切需要多样化的治疗方案。此外，疫苗和诊断方案方面的差距表明，血吸虫病产品研发的所有领域都需要进行早期创新。作为公私伙伴关系（PPP）的一个平台，世界知识产权组织（WIPO）的Re:Search联盟通过建立互利合作关系并促进营利性和学术/非营利部门之间的知识产权（IP）资产共享，让私营部门参与被忽视疾病的早期研发。该联盟通过利用这两个部门的优势，将人员、资源和想法联系起来，以填补被忽视疾病产品开发方案中的空白。以WIPO Re:Search为例，本文强调了公私伙伴关系模式在消除血吸虫病方面发挥关键作用的机会。
