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Through a structured analytical process, we hope to develop a detailed and prioritised workplan that will assist funders and researchers to identify where their efforts in antimalarial drug R&D will best be directed.
The Challenge:
Antimalarial drug discovery and development globally is currently fragmented and uncoordinated. In order to meet the treatment objectives in the timescale of the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP), there is a need for the R&D being undertaken to be more co-ordinated and focused on key objectives. This will also help with establishing priorities for funding and resourcing. The CRIMALDDI Consortium has been set up by its members to develop and publicise an integrated and prioritised roadmap for antimalarial drug R&D to complement GMAP. The Consortium hopes that the roadmap and its associated 5-year action plan will function as a valuable planning tool for funding agencies and R&D organisations.
The GMAP recognises the importance of chemotherapy in efforts to control & eliminate malaria. Effective treatment is an essential part of Malaria Control Programmes. Treatment becomes even more important when programmes are striving for elimination, and areas change from high to low-transmission settings resulting in reductions in natural immunity. Chemotherapy has been and will remain the central strategy for malaria control & elimination.
Currently there are a number of European and international organisations and initiatives that are committed to antimalarial drug discovery, development, and deployment. In Europe these include WHO/TDR, The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), AntiMal, EDCTP, the Wellcome Trust, and many academic groups and pharmaceutical companies (such as GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and sanofi aventis).
However these initiatives remain fragmented and uncoordinated with little formalised linkages between programmes. There is an urgent need for coordination, rationalisation and integration between them so that funders can prioritise their support in a systematic and transparent way. Engagement with small and large industrial partners and endemic country scientists, all of whom could contribute significantly to these initiatives is weak, as are dissemination efforts. This coordination effort aims to address these deficiencies, maximise the potential effectiveness of existing activities, and gain synergies through this coordination effort.
Our Process:
The CRIMALDDI Consortium members are engaged in a structured process that will:-
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Identify the work needed to meet the GMAP objectives for drug treatment in both the Control & Elimination phases of the Plan;
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Identify the work currently being undertaken around the world and where there are gaps with the work needed;
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Prioritise the R&D efforts needed to fill the gaps, especially drug discovery and the development of platform technologies;
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Work with other experts to develop detailed action plans to fill the priority gaps.
All the work will be reviewed and validated periodically by an Expert Advisory Group (EAG). Details of the EAG and its work available on this site (link to EAG page).
We plan to present our findings to the wider malaria community not only through this website, but also through presentations at appropriate scientific meetings, scientific publications, and collaborating with other groups working on the detailed implementation of the GMAP.
How can you help?
We are seeking input from the wider malaria community. You can assist our work by registering as a member of the wider CRIMALDDI community and getting involved in the discussions that we will be setting up. Go to the Participate page for more details.