Pfizer and DNDi join forces in the fight against neglected tropical diseases

Global drug behemoth Pfizer and the Switzerland, not-for-profit R&D group Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) have entered into an accord designed to facilitate advancements in the battle against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and Chagas disease, which afflict vulnerable populations in the developing world.

Under the agreement, DNDi will have access to the Pfizer library of novel chemical entities, in order to screen for compounds that have the potential to be developed into new treatments. Global number two drugmaker Merck & Co entered a similar partnership with DNDi in June, and in September the latter joined forces with Japan's Eisai on Chagas disease, according to the Swiss organization.

'Despite considerable progress made in recent years, these three diseases continue to take a terrible human toll and represent a significant social burden for developing countries,' said Manos Perros, vice president and chief scientific officer of antivirals research, Pfizer Global R&D. 'We are expanding our commitment to the fight against tropical diseases by joining forces with DNDi by sharing our collection of chemical compounds and the knowledge and expertise associated with these chemical entities,' Dr Perros added.

Under the deal, scientists in institutes affiliated with DNDi will test at least 150,000 compounds in the Pfizer library against Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasites that cause HAT, VL and Chagas Disease, respectively.

In a screening process, researchers will seek compounds that show initial activity against the various parasites, and thus might form the basis for novel drug discovery programs to treat the diseases. The screening will be undertaken at the Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, for HAT and the Institut Pasteur Korea, for VL and Chagas disease.

This collaboration will maximize the chances of identifying attractive starting points for a drug discovery program. 'We are confident that the significant resources and expertise that public-private partnerships such as this one bring together, will accelerate and significantly increase the chances of success in the search for effective new drugs against serious infections that disproportionately affect the poor,' said Sam Azoulay, senior vice president of medical and development, Pfizer Emerging Markets Business Unit.

"This agreement provides us access to a compound library of novel chemical entities that has never been explored for kinetoplastid diseases. This marks an important step towards DNDi's objective of building a robust portfolio and to feed the research and development pipeline with new promising compounds,' added Shing Chang, R&D director at DNDi.