UPDATE 60: JANUARY 1 TO JANUARY 31, 2013
PDP FUNDERS GROUP
Items in blue or purple should be hyperlinked to the full text version; if I have made mistakes
many apologies. If you have any issues that you would like to include in the Update please
send them to Jane Rowley (jtfrowley@btinternet.com).
FUNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS (SINCE JANUARY 1, 2014)
BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
January 2014:
2014 Gates Annual Letter
EDCTP
6 January 2014:
Dr Mark Palmer takes over from Prof. Hannah Akuffo as EDCTP General Assembly
Chairperson
Dr Mark Palmer (Medical Research Council (MRC), United Kingdom) is the new Chairperson of the
EEIG-EDCTP General Assembly (GA) as of January 2014. He takes over from Professor Hannah Akuffo
(Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Sweden). Dr Stefano Vella (Istituto
Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy) and Dr Detlef Böcking (Projektträger im Deutschen Zentrum für Luftund Raumfahrt (PT-DLR, Project Management Agency), Germany) were elected as the new ViceChairpersons.
US - NIH
WELLCOME TRUST
10 January 2014:
Wellcome Trust appoints new heads of Population Health and of Infection and
Immuno-biology
The Wellcome Trust has created two new teams within its Science Funding division: Infection and
Immuno-biology, and Population Health.
The team formerly known as Pathogens, Immunology and Public Health has been split in two, to
generate greater focus on the separate elements. The Public Health team has joined forces with
International Activities and will be known as Population Health, with Dr Jimmy Whitworth as its
head. …
PDP PRESS RELEASES (SINCE JANUARY 1, 2014)
Aeras
27 January 2014:
Global Collaboration Forms to Advance Japanese TB Vaccine Technology
Japan’s National Institute of Biomedical Innovation(“NIBIO”), Aerasand Create Vaccine Company,
Ltd(“CREATE”) announce today that they signed a collaboration agreementon December 26, 2013, on
the preclinical and clinical development of new mucosal tuberculosis (TB) vaccines based on NIBIO’s
human parainfluenza type-2 (rhPIV2) vector technology. …
The collaboration is supported through a generous grant from the Global Health Innovative
Technology Fund (GHIT), a new partnership formed to facilitate international partnerships that enable
Japanese technology, innovations, and insights to play a more direct role in reducing disparities in
health between the rich and the poor of the world. …
FIND
15 January 2014:
Republic of Guinea launches new project to improve detection of sleeping sickness
UPDATE 60: JANUARY 1 TO JANUARY 31, 2013
cases in the country’s coastal region
An innovative project to intensify surveillance of sleeping sickness in Guinea was launched on 15
January 2014 after the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Guinea signed a collaborative agreement
with FIND. The aim of the partnership is to strengthen diagnostic capacity by introducing new tools in
health centres located in the most endemic areas of the country, thus increasing the chances for early
diagnosis of the disease. …
16 January 2014:
FIND and Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd. expand collaboration to Chagas disease
FIND, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, a Geneva-based non-profit organization, and Eiken
Chemical Co., Ltd., a Japan-based manufacturer of clinical diagnostics, today announced an
agreement on financial support by FIND for development of a diagnostic test for congenital Chagas
disease. This is an expansion of their collaboration in development of rapid and simple molecular
tests for diseases of poverty, for use in decentralized settings. It adds to their ongoing joint efforts in
development of a LAMP-based platform for tuberculosis (TB), malaria, sleeping sickness and
leishmaniasis. …
31 January 2014:
FIND adds members to Board of Directors
FIND announced today the appointment of Mr. Deepak Gupta from India, Dr. Carlos Morel from
Brazil, and Dr. Michael Watson from France to its Board of Directors.
“I am delighted to welcome these new members to the FIND family,” said Mark Kessel, current Chair
of FIND’s Board of Directors. “Each has a long and impressive experience in global health and will
bring valuable expertise to the organization.” …
IPM
24 January 2014:
IPM Announces Dr. James McIntyre as Board Chair, New Board Members Ms.
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Mr. Michael Stevens
The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) today announced the appointment of Dr. James
McIntyre as Chair of its Board of Directors, as well as the addition of two new Board members, Ms.
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Mr. Michael Stevens.
Together, they bring decades of experience in HIV prevention, women’s economic empowerment and
product development to help advance IPM’s mission to create new health technologies for women
around the world. …
PATH
14 January 2014:
PATH names former White House advisor Grant Colfax as leader of its HIV/AIDS and
Tuberculosis Program
PATH has named Dr. Grant Colfax, MD, to lead its HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Program. In this critical
position, he will direct PATH’s HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) portfolio and collaborate with HIVrelated projects and opportunities across the organization. In addition, Colfax will serve in a new
position as special advisor for translational science policy, reporting directly to Steve Davis, PATH’s
president and CEO.
PATH’s HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Program uses innovative approaches to integrate health services to
prevent, diagnose, and treat HIV/AIDS and TB. As program leader, Colfax will be responsible for
overseeing PATH’s strategy and relationships in this area; in guiding PATH’s work on HIV/AIDS and TB
projects that spans countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia; and in advising on PATH’s broader
work in translational health policy. He will begin January 24, 2013 and will be based in PATH’s South
San Francisco office. …
17 January 2014:
PATH names director of strategic initiatives for International Development
PATH today announced that Katharine Kreis has been named director of strategic initiatives for
International Development. Kreis’ extensive background in global health and international
development at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, and US Agency for International Development (USAID) will position her to lead the
UPDATE 60: JANUARY 1 TO JANUARY 31, 2013
strategic component of PATH’s international portfolio.
In this newly created role, Kreis will work in close collaboration with PATH’s vice president of
International Development and its chief strategy officer to develop new country programs, oversee
and strengthen PATH’s focus in countries with the greatest health needs, and support new crosscountry program initiatives as part of PATH’s strategic plan. Through leading strategic engagement
across PATH’s global presence in over 70 countries, this role will support the integral work of PATH’s
country programs to bring health within reach for everyone. …
28 January 2014:
Four new members join PATH’s board of directors
PATH’s board of directors elected four new board members at its recent meeting. The four are
international business executives who come from a variety of private-sector backgrounds.
“As PATH sharpens our focus on improving the health and saving the lives of women and children in
the world’s poorest places, we welcome the addition of these four outstanding new board members,”
said Dr. George Gotsadze, chair of PATH’s board of directors. “Their global experience and expertise
in strategic business management, global health, and public-private partnership will strengthen
PATH’s ability to take innovation to scale and increase our impact around the world.” …
Four new members are: Kofi Amegashie, David King, Dr. Felix Olale, Raj Vattikuti. See press release
for more info on each of them
RECENTLY RELEASED PDP REPORTS/ BRIEFING PAPERS/ ARTICLES
Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals
•
•
Safety and Efficacy of Single Dose versus Multiple Doses of AmBisome® for Treatment of
Visceral Leishmaniasis in Eastern Africa: A Randomised Trial. Khalil EAG et al. PLoS Negl Trop
Dis., January 16, 2014
Orally Active Antischistosomal Early Leads Identified from the Open Access Malaria Box.
Ingram-Sieber K et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis., January 9, 2014
Other PDP Publications/ Briefing papers
•
•
•
TB Alliance Annual Report - 2013. January 2014.
Partnering to advance new HIV prevention tools for women. Rosenberg Z. Global Health and
Diplomacy. 28 January 2014
Column: looking for good news on the road to zero malaria deaths. Jagoe G. Malaria World. 23
January 2014.
RECENTLY RELEASED PDP RELATED REPORTS/ BRIEFING PAPERS/ ARTICLES
Reports/ briefing papers/ books


Including Health in Global Frameworks for Development, Wealth, and Climate Change Workshop Summary. IOM. January 2014
Discussion Framework for Clinical Trial Data Sharing: Guiding Principles, Elements, and Activities.
IOM. January 2014.
PDP RELATED NEWS/ ARTICLES (SINCE JANUARY 1, 2014)
HIV/AIDS






6 January: Large US study shows which HIV tests are most accurate
7 January: USAID, Population Council agreement for non-antiretroviral microbicide
quest looks to expand prevention toolbox
24 January: If the Immunity Project crowdfunds this synthetic AIDS vaccine, they'll
offer it free to everyone
24 January: Scientists turn to crowdfunding to develop free HIV vaccine
24 January: Researchers identify two HIV-1 envelope immunogens capable of
eliciting antibodies associated with vaccine protection
29 January: South Africa: HIV/AIDS Trial Scoops USAID Award
UPDATE 60: JANUARY 1 TO JANUARY 31, 2013

Other
diseases
Funding
Industry
WHO
Related
US Related
Research:
improving
efficiency
Other
Cost-effectiveness of tenofovir gel in urban South Africa: model projections of HIV
impact and threshold product prices. Terris-Prestholt F et al. BMC Infectious
Diseases. 9 January 2014
 Effect of a serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine (PsA–TT) on serogroup A
meningococcal meningitis and carriage in Chad: a community study. Daugla DM et
al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9911, Pages 40 - 47, 4 January 2014
 Efficacy and safety of single-dose liposomal amphotericin B for visceral
leishmaniasis in a rural public hospital in Bangladesh: a feasibility study. Mondal D
et al. The Lancet Global Health, Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages e51 - e57, January 2014
 6 January: Global biomedical R&D spending: US share falls, Asia rising
 21 January: Gates Foundation, SA link to combat HIV, TB, malaria
 24 January: EC DEVCO launches call to support public health institutes
 23 January: J&J carves out a new group to develop drugs for poor countries
 25 January: WHO Sets Path For Model R&D Projects For Developing Countries
 Leveraging non-binding instruments for global health governance: reflections from
the Global AIDS Reporting Mechanism for WHO reform. Taylor A et al. Public
Health. 3 January 2014
 Split WHO in two: strengthening political decision-making and securing
independent scientific advice. Hoffman S & Rottingen J-A. Public Health. 14
January 2014; 128(8):188-194.
 6 January: Global Fund tiered pricing panel for ARVs, other health commodities
raises questions
 9 January: PEPFAR leader: CDC Global HIV/AIDS director named to succeed
Ambassador Goosby
LANCET series: Research: increasing value, reducing waste
 How to increase value and reduce waste when research priorities are set.
Chalmers I et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9912, Pages 156 - 165, 11 January
2014
 Increasing value and reducing waste in research design, conduct, and analysis.
Ioannidis JPA et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9912, Pages 166 - 175, 11
January 2014
 Increasing value and reducing waste in biomedical research regulation and
management. Al-Shahi Salman R et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9912, Pages
176 - 185, 11 January 2014
 Increasing value and reducing waste: addressing inaccessible research. Chan A-W
et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9913, Pages 257 - 266, 18 January 2014
 Reducing waste from incomplete or unusable reports of biomedical research.
Glasziou P et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9913, Pages 267 - 276, 18 January
2014
 From sovereignty to solidarity: a renewed concept of global health for an era of
complex interdependence. Frenk J et al. The Lancet, Volume 383, Issue 9911,
Pages 94 - 97, 4 January 2014
ON-GOING CONSULTATIONS
The UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Global TB has launched an inquiry into Research and
Development for Global Health. The evidence collected will provide the foundations of a report
examining R&D for Global Health. The final report will contain clear policy recommendations for
improving and amending existing models of R&D for Global Health. The terms of reference for the
report are available on the PFG website on the page called Recent PDP related news.
The deadline for submissions is 9.00am on Monday 17th March.
UPDATE 60: JANUARY 1 TO JANUARY 31, 2013
UPCOMING MEETINGS

June 30 - 2 July 2014: Seventh EDCTP Forum. Berlin. Germany.

July 20-25 2014: AIDS 2014. Melbourne. Australia.
October 28-31 2014: HIV Research for Prevention 2014. Cape Town. South Africa.
