UK Prime Minister announces drive to discover new dementia drugs in £100 million campaign

The UK Prime Minister David Cameron will today pledge a new drive by the UK to discover new drugs and treatment that could slow down the onset of dementia or even deliver a cure by 2025.

Speaking at a summit of world health and finance leaders in London, Mr Cameron will say immediate action is needed to address a market failure on dementia research and drug development, which had seen global spending on dementia at five times below research on cancer, with only three drugs making it onto the market in the last 15 years. The UK will bring forward specific proposals on patent extensions, earlier access to new drugs for patients, greater research collaboration and facilitating much high-levels of investment, by October this year.

The commitment comes as the new World Dementia Envoy, Dennis Gillings, warns that if global leaders do not incentivize businesses to invest in research and bring in faster, cheaper clinical trials, they will not meet the ambition to find a cure or disease modifying therapy by 2025.