DNDi

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a patient-needs driven, not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organization that develops safe, effective, and affordable medicines for neglected diseases that afflict millions of the world’s poorest people.

DNDi focuses on developing new treatments for the most neglected patients suffering from diseases such as sleeping sickness (or Human African Trypanosomiasis), leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, malaria, specific filarial diseases, and paediatric HIV.

The initiative’s primary objective is to deliver 11 to 13 new treatments by 2018 and to establish a strong R&D portfolio for these diseases.

DNDi’s vision is to develop new drugs or new formulations of existing drugs for patients suffering from the most neglected communicable diseases. Acting in the public interest, DNDi will bridge existing R&D gaps in essential drugs for these diseases by initiating and coordinating drug R&D projects in collaboration with the international research community, the public sector, the pharmaceutical industry, and other relevant partners.

DNDi’s primary focus will be the development of drugs for the most neglected diseases, such as sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease; and it will also consider engaging R&D projects on other neglected diseases. DNDi will address unmet needs by taking on projects that others are unable or unwilling to pursue and, as means permit, will consider development of diagnostics and/or vaccines. In pursuing these goals, DNDi will manage R&D networks built on South-South and North-South collaborations. While using the existing support capacities in countries where the diseases are endemic, DNDi will help to build additional capacity in a sustainable manner through technology transfer in the field of drug research and development for neglected diseases.

DNDi’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of people suffering from neglected diseases by using an alternative model to develop drugs for these diseases and by ensuring equitable access to new and field-relevant tools. In this not-for-profit model, driven by the public sector, a variety of players collaborate to raise awareness of the need to research and develop drugs for those neglected diseases that fall outside the scope of market-driven R&D. They also build public responsibility and leadership in addressing the needs of these patients.