Neglected tropical disease research and development

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a set of infectious diseases affecting an estimated 1.4 billion people worldwide. The classification of this group of neglected diseases is linked to their frequent neglect in public and private sector expenditure and attention at local, national, and international levels, and their concentration among the poor. Research and development yielding safe, effective drugs and vaccines for their treatment and prevention has been recognized as a global health priority.

Neglected tropical diseases are a set of infectious communicable diseases arising from a diverse group of parasitic worms, bacteria, and vector-borne protozoa. The NTDs result in an estimated 534,000 deaths annually and 57 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost. The social, economic, and health burden of these diseases falls primarily on low and middle income countries where the diseases are most prevalent. The NTDs represent the sixth greatest global health burden in terms of DALYs, equal to or potentially surpassing global malaria burden.

NTD interventions include both programs to address environmental and social determinants of health (e.g., vector control, water quality, sanitation), and programs offering mass drug administration for disease prevention and treatment. Drug treatments exist to confront many of the NTDs and represent some of the world's essential medicines. Despite significant health and economic improvements using available medicines, the low number of new compounds being researched and developed for NTDs is an ongoing and significant challenge. The dearth of candidates in pharmaceutical company drug pipelines is primarily attributed to the high costs of drug development and the fact that NTDs are concentrated among the worlds' poor. Other disincentives to investment include weak existing infrastructure for distribution and sales, and concerns regarding intellectual property protection. However, the major stakeholders in NTD drug development—governments, foundations, pharmaceutical companies, academia, and NGOs—are involved in activities to help address the research and development shortfall and meet the many challenges presented by neglected tropical diseases. Initiatives include public private partnerships, global R&D capacity building, priority vouchers to speed drug approval processes, open source scientific collaborations, and harmonization of global governance structures concerning NTDs.

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