Milestones in Global Health R&D Investment in global health research and development (R&D) has led to remarkable breakthroughs in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other global health threats. Public and private sector partners in the U.S. have played a crucial role in the achievement of these medical milestones, but there is much more work to do. The U.S. needs to strengthen its investment in research to accelerate progress toward the development of health technologies that save lives worldwide, create U.S. jobs, benefit the health of Americans and promote global stability and security. Global Health Research and Development: working to improve lives at home and abroad.
Global Health R&D creates life-saving technologies to prevent and treat diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases. It is also a contributor to job growth and generates economic activity in the U.S. Research!America advocates for increased funding and support for research to develop vitally important global health technologies. Our advocacy tools include fact sheets that demonstrate the impact and value of key U.S. agencies and departments for global health, here at home and around the world. We also provide educational and advocacy resources on innovative product development partnerships advancing global health.
For more information on Research!America’s global health R&D advocacy, please visit www.researchamerica.org/global_health.
78% of Americans think it is important for the U.S. to support global health research and development. How important would you say it is that the U.S. work to improve health globally through research and innovation?
32% Very important 46% Somewhat important 10% Somewhat unimportant 5% Very unimportant 7% Not at all important
Source: National Public Opinion Poll, October 2011, JZ Analytics for Research!America
“
I be
New test diagnoses TB and multi-drug resistant TB in less than 2 hours
Malaria vaccine candidate reduces episodes of malaria by 50% in young children
Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, Cepheid, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Department of Defense (DOD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), multiple international partners
PARTNERS:
The Xpert MTB/RIF rapid diagnostic can detect the presence of tuberculosis (TB) and drug resistance in the field with higher accuracy in less time than lab-based tests. AC CO M P L IS H ME N T:
Endorsed in 2010 by the World Health Organization (WHO), this technology is already being used by 61 countries highly affected by TB, allowing more people to be placed on appropriate treatment in less time, preventing further spread of infection.
IM PAC T:
PARTNE RS:
ACCOM PL ISHM EN T: Preliminary results from a late-stage clinical trial of the RTS,S vaccine demonstrated a 50% reduction in malaria episodes in young children.
Widespread use of this vaccine could help save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Africa.
IMPACT:
elieve innovation is the most powerfu Research yields first new drug candidate for sleeping sickness in decades
Daily dose of HIV treatment drug shown to reduce risk of HIV infection
PART N E R S:
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Pace University, University of California San Francisco, Anacor, Scynexis, NIH, multiple international partners
PARTNE RS:
In early 2012, the first new drug candidate in 40 years designed specifically for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT; sleeping sickness) entered Phase I clinical study.
Truvada, an antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV/AIDS, reduces the risk of acquiring HIV infection by almost 44% when taken daily by uninfected men.
AC C OM P L I SH ME N T:
With 60 million people at risk of infection, this potential new oral treatment could mark significant progress toward achieving the WHO goal of eliminating HAT by 2020.
IMPA C T:
Gilead Sciences, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NIH, CDC, Gladstone Institutes, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, international study sites
ACCO MPL ISHM EN T:
This landmark study was the first to show that HIV treatment can be used for prevention purposes. FDA experts recommended the approval of Truvada to prevent infection in high-risk individuals; a final FDA decision is pending. IMPACT:
�
ul force for change in the world. MenAfriVac could eliminate meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa in near future
New drug developed to treat cholera, diarrheal diseases in children
Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP), a partnership between PATH and the WHO, CDC, FDA, U.S. Agency for International Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, multiple international partners
OneWorld Health (OWH), an affiliate of PATH, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, FDA, multiple private and academic sector partners
PART N E R S:
MVP developed the first vaccine specifically for Africa to prevent group A meningococcal meningitis, at a cost of less than $0.50 per dose.
AC C OM P L I SH ME N T:
Since 2010, almost 55 million people have been vaccinated in six high-risk countries. With widespread distribution of the vaccine, meningitis could be eliminated from the region by 2016, saving $350 million over 10 years. IMPA C T:
PARTNE RS:
ACCO MPL ISHM EN T: In 2011, OWH received FDA approval to conduct a phase I clinical trial of a new drug to reduce the fluid loss that results from diarrheal diseases. Phase I is nearing completion, with a phase II trial expected to begin in South Asia in 2012.
Potentially the first synthetic drug of its kind for diarrhea, the usage of this drug in conjunction with oral rehydration therapy could save the lives of many of the 1.5 million children who die each year from diarrheal diseases. IMPACT:
BILL GATES Clinical trial demonstrates that a vaccine can prevent HIV infection
Discovery of unique antibodies may yield novel approach for HIV vaccine
DOD, NIH, Thai Ministry of Public Health, Sanofi Pasteur, Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Neutralizing Antibodies Consortium, NIH Vaccine Research Center, multiple international and private sector partners
PART N E R S:
In 2009, the RV144 HIV vaccine trial demonstrated for the first time that a vaccine can protect against HIV infection. A 2012 follow-up study provided clues to how the vaccine worked.
AC C OM P L I SH ME N T:
The first HIV vaccine to show even moderate efficacy, this scientific breakthrough has propelled the field of HIV vaccine research. Scientific data is being used to improve the RV144 vaccine and inform next generation vaccines.
IMPA C T:
PARTNE R S:
Researchers have discovered 19 antibodies that have rare protective abilities against HIV. ACCOM PL ISHM EN T:
Continued research on these antibodies may lead to a novel approach for developing vaccines for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, like pandemic flu. IMPACT:
Global Health R&D
{
A SMART THING FOR THE U.S. THE RIGHT THING FOR THE WORLD.
ADDITIONAL MILESTONES IN GLOBAL HEALTH R&D > Vaccine vial monitors ensure safe vaccination, save 140,000 lives worldwide > First TB vaccine finds new purpose in treating bladder cancer > Single-dose injection system confers multiple health benefits > Breakthrough technology to diagnose HIV proves successful in field tests > NIH’s Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases research yields combination prevention strategy to achieve AIDS-free generation To learn more about these examples of successes in global health R&D, please visit www.researchamerica.org/gh_milestones.
www.researchamerica.org/blog www.facebook.com/ResearchAmerica.org
1101 King Street, Suite 520 Alexandria, Virginia 22314 703.739.2577
www.youtube.com/user/ResearchAmerica www.twitter.com/ResearchAmerica
Research!America is the nation’s largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance committed to making research to improve health a higher national priority.
Fax 703.739.2372 www.researchamerica.org