Rob Ridley

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Sustaining Priority Research for Neglected
Tropical Diseases
Rob Ridley Director, TDR
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TDR 'twin' Mission

• To undertake research, development and evaluation
  of new and improved tools and interventions to
  fight major tropical diseases
• To strengthen research capabilities in countries
  where these diseases are endemic
• enhanced stakeholdership / ownership of research

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A vicious cycle
DISEASE
POVERTY
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Many 'Neglected Diseases'
Mortality Estimates for 2002 (World Health Report
2004)

• Infectious and Parasitic diseases 10 904 (000)
• HIV/AIDS 2 777
• Diarrhoeal diseases 1 798
• Tuberculosis 1 566
• Malaria 1 272
• Childhood diseases 1 124
• STI (excluding HIV) 180
• Meningitis 173
• (Other) Tropical Diseases 129
• Hepatitis B 103
• Hepatitis C 54
• Dengue 19
• Japanese encephalitis 14
• Intestinal nematode 12
• Leprosy 6

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'Neglected' Diseases affect 'Neglected'
Populations
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Priority Setting
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Strategy ??
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Innovation to Impact
Grand Challenges
NIH, Trust, Research councils etc.
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Need to sustain and increase basic science
funding
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Product Development
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Examples of public private partnerships that
have delivered new tools
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Innovation to Impact product development
EDCTP
MMV
Microbicides
DNDi
GATB
IAVI
FIND
MVI
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Product Development Activities Need Sustaining

• 8 new drugs anticipated by 2010
• Proposed fund of 200M per year to complement
  PPP's

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Much variation by disease (e.g. Gates)
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Evaluation and Implementation Research
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Examples of TDR mediated evaluation and
implementation research

• Onchocerciasis
• Ivermectin and Community Directed Treatment
• Malaria
• Home management of malaria strategies
• Visceral Leishmaniasis
• Tools in place for 'elimination' programmes

A critical area for future funding given
increase of tools in pipeline
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Example in progress Visceral Leishmaniasis

• New tools stimulate India / Nepal / Bangladesh
  to sign MoU for elimination of VL by 2015
• Local ownership of research critical
• Recognition of significance of social, economic
  and behavioural research
• Research must be embedded in and owned by
  countries and integrated into health systems
• Inter-country coordination facilitated by WHO /
  SEARO / TDR
• Requires a co-ordinated approach by partners for
  maximal impact

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Innovation to Impact
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Innovation to Impact
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Look beyond single issuesManaging Interfaces
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Challenges No. 1

• Maintained funding for basic science, continued
  innovation and PPP product development
• Better balance for more neglected diseases
• Better management of translation research
• Enhanced Evaluation and Implementation Research
  for all diseases
• Enhanced coordination and interaction between
  initiatives, funding agencies, governments and
  regional bodies
• Role for international agencies

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Look beyond single issuesCross-cutting issues
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Challenges No. 2

• Need capacity building coupled to capacity
  utilisation
• Need to enhance country participation,
  'stakeholdership' and ownership of research
• Need to 'embed' the output of research activities
  within the institutions of developing countries
• Need to enhance capabilities of developing
  countries to engage in 'innovation' as well as
  implementation

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Use-inspired Research