Fighting diseases of poverty: Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi)

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of infectious diseases that are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions and affect over one billion people annually. Treatments and diagnostics are often ineffective, costly, or unavailable. Left untreated, neglected tropical diseases severely impact health, wellbeing, and socio-economic participation, and still cause 200,000 deaths each year.

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a Geneva-based not-for-profit research organisation developing new, life-saving and affordable treatments for neglected patients, strengthening research capacity in low-income countries, and advocating for innovation and access. DNDi fosters collaborations among key actors in countries affected by these diseases, including health ministries, national disease control programmes, medicine regulatory authorities, WHO, academia, and civil society groups, as well as clinicians and health professionals. These partnerships enable DNDi to develop treatments that meet the specific needs of affected communities and to deliver the treatments that patients need.

Switzerland plays a leading role in the global fight against neglected tropical diseases. Swiss research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, international non-governmental organisations, and international cooperation are at the forefront of this effort. The SDC has been supporting DNDi’s work since 2005. Swiss actors such as research institutions (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute) and pharmaceutical companies (including Roche, Novartis) are key partners of DNDi. DNDi complements the mandate of other global health actors based in Geneva and is an asset to "Genève Internationale".

Ensure equitable access to therapeutic products for neglected tropical diseases.

The specific objective is to deliver 5 to 8 new treatments between 2025 and 2028.

Direct beneficiaries: One billion people worldwide affected by neglected tropical diseases, mainly in Africa and mostly those living in remote rural areas, urban slums or conflict zones.

Other beneficiaries: Local clinicians, scientists, and experts in low- and middleincome countries.

Outcome 1: New treatments adapted to the needs of vulnerable populations are developed, registered, and used.

Outcome 2: Knowledge, data and expertise are shared with stakeholders working on neglected diseases in endemic countries.

Outcome 3: Policy makers are mobilised and accountable to enable and sustain equitable and inclusive R&D ecosystems for priority public health.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• 5 to 8 new treatments are delivered between 2025-28.
• Health system actors, including communities, are engaged to provide treatment and diagnostics.
• Researchers, patients, communities, and authorities in countries collaborate in active, equitable partnerships that drive the drug development process.
• International and national R&D norms and policies are in place for open, transparent, and equitable partnerships for drug development.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Since its inception in 2003, DNDi has developed 13 treatments for six deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. Recent key achievements include:

• Development of fexinidazole, the first oral treatment for sleeping sickness, in 2018. This revolutionary treatment was registered in 2022 for a rarer but more severe form of the disease.
• Development of a new and highly effective drug, ravidasvir, for hepatitis C and its registration in Malaysia, China, and Egypt by 2022.
• Development of child-friendly HIV antiretroviral formulations in 2019 and registration in South Africa, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, and Uganda by 2023.
• DNDi launched the Dengue Alliance with partners in endemic countries to identify effective drugs.