Interview Jutta Reinhard-Rupp
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated awareness of the importance of industry partners in any development process. But not only that, it has increased awareness that we need all partners at the same table to ensure medical interventions to reach the patients in need.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also emphasised the need for improving health systems strengthening in low and middle-income countries as well as of clarifying roles and responsibilities, and coordination of efforts and mandates of the different players involved, including industry and funders like EDCTP.
In your view, how has the COVID-19 pandemic informed the way organisations such as EDCTP collaborate with industry partners - what can be done differently?
The Fellowships programme is one of the flagship schemes of EDCTP and is a very prominent part of its funding. This programme has played an important role in talent and capacity development of the candidates and, once back into their home country, of the local institution.
As done through this fellowship programme, capacity building is a critical area where funders and industry can work together with the aim of collaboratively improving local capacity in different fields such as R&D, manufacturing, supply chain and health system strengthening.
Because of the industry’s long-standing expertise throughout the entire product development path to reaching the patients, I also see collaboration opportunities between the private sectors and EDCTP growing into late-stage development phases, such as clinical Phase III trials, and product-focused implementation research to prepare for access.
Under EDCTP2, joint initiatives launched with industry partners have primarily been around the fellowship schemes. How do you think industry can or should continue to contribute towards improving research capacity in SSA, and are there other areas or new opportunities emerging where you think industry partners could play a greater role?
Industry has become much more involved in research and development in sub-Saharan Africa, both for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Jointly with industry partners, EDCTP has clearly helped to broaden these activities in the region by enhancing local capacity and creating infrastructure for conducting clinical trials in remote areas according to standard practice.
Could you describe the changes you have seen in private sector engagement in clinical research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)?
When we look at research priorities, I think industry provided valuable input in defining the scope of the second EDCTP programme. When the first phase of the EDCTP programme ended, many discussions were held with a large variety of stakeholders. It became clear that there were gaps in funding not only for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but also for other neglected diseases that critically affect populations in sub-Saharan Africa. The active role of industry partners in those fields could help identify the role that EDCTP could play. And I think this is the way industry and funders can work together: industry has a clear long-term vision and path for their products and understands that funders cannot support the full development lifecycle. But industry also knows where the gaps are and can therefore collaboratively define where funders can really make an impact to improve health globally.
In terms of sustainability, support from a funder, even if it’s for only a few years, makes a big difference. For instance, when, within the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, the development of a potential new treatment option for schistosomiasis in preschool-age children started, the importance of the grants received, in the early phases, from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and then by both the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) and EDCTP was critical to support implementation of the development programme. In addition, the fact of having worked at an early stage with a funder was the prerequisite to create trust with the other funders, enabling a stable collaboration and supporting a sustainable development path. This example, joint to the acquired awareness that only very few funders are active in the neglected infectious diseases space and, in particular, in the schistosomiasis field, helped define the scope for the second EDCTP programme, confirming EDCTP as one of the very few funders to support R&D in this neglected area.
Discovery and development of medical interventions is a long-term endeavour and usually extends beyond the duration of a single research grant. How do you (/the EDCTP Scientific Advisory Committee) think industry partners can work with funders (and vice versa) to define research priorities and ensure sustainability of the development process?
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The Merck’s Global Health Institute was launched in April 2017 with the mission to develop transformative health solutions to support control and elimination programs related to infectious diseases - mainly schistosomiasis and malaria- carrying a major toll on children. By catalysing innovative solutions for global health challenges, the Institute aims to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – especially SDG 3 for good health and well-being, in line with the Merck’s Sustainability Strategy. Dr Reinhard-Rupp is a former member of EDCTP’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the main advisory body to EDCTP’s General Assembly and the Secretariat.
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Interview Jutta Reinhard-Rupp
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated awareness of the importance of industry partners in any development process. But not only that, it has increased awareness that we need all partners at the same table to ensure medical interventions to reach the patients in need.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also emphasised the need for improving health systems strengthening in low and middle-income countries as well as of clarifying roles and responsibilities, and coordination of efforts and mandates of the different players involved, including industry and funders like EDCTP.
In your view, how has the COVID-19 pandemic informed the way organisations such as EDCTP collaborate with industry partners - what can be done differently?
The Fellowships programme is one of the flagship schemes of EDCTP and is a very prominent part of its funding. This programme has played an important role in talent and capacity development of the candidates and, once back into their home country, of the local institution.
As done through this fellowship programme, capacity building is a critical area where funders and industry can work together with the aim of collaboratively improving local capacity in different fields such as R&D, manufacturing, supply chain and health system strengthening.
Because of the industry’s long-standing expertise throughout the entire product development path to reaching the patients, I also see collaboration opportunities between the private sectors and EDCTP growing into late-stage development phases, such as clinical Phase III trials, and product-focused implementation research to prepare for access.
Under EDCTP2, joint initiatives launched with industry partners have primarily been around the fellowship schemes. How do you think industry can or should continue to contribute towards improving research capacity in SSA, and are there other areas or new opportunities emerging where you think industry partners could play a greater role?
Industry has become much more involved in research and development in sub-Saharan Africa, both for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Jointly with industry partners, EDCTP has clearly helped to broaden these activities in the region by enhancing local capacity and creating infrastructure for conducting clinical trials in remote areas according to standard practice.
Could you describe the changes you have seen in private sector engagement in clinical research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)?
When we look at research priorities, I think industry provided valuable input in defining the scope of the second EDCTP programme. When the first phase of the EDCTP programme ended, many discussions were held with a large variety of stakeholders. It became clear that there were gaps in funding not only for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but also for other neglected diseases that critically affect populations in sub-Saharan Africa. The active role of industry partners in those fields could help identify the role that EDCTP could play. And I think this is the way industry and funders can work together: industry has a clear long-term vision and path for their products and understands that funders cannot support the full development lifecycle. But industry also knows where the gaps are and can therefore collaboratively define where funders can really make an impact to improve health globally.
In terms of sustainability, support from a funder, even if it’s for only a few years, makes a big difference. For instance, when, within the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, the development of a potential new treatment option for schistosomiasis in preschool-age children started, the importance of the grants received, in the early phases, from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and then by both the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) and EDCTP was critical to support implementation of the development programme. In addition, the fact of having worked at an early stage with a funder was the prerequisite to create trust with the other funders, enabling a stable collaboration and supporting a sustainable development path. This example, joint to the acquired awareness that only very few funders are active in the neglected infectious diseases space and, in particular, in the schistosomiasis field, helped define the scope for the second EDCTP programme, confirming EDCTP as one of the very few funders to support R&D in this neglected area.
Discovery and development of medical interventions is a long-term endeavour and usually extends beyond the duration of a single research grant. How do you (/the EDCTP Scientific Advisory Committee) think industry partners can work with funders (and vice versa) to define research priorities and ensure sustainability of the development process?
The Merck’s Global Health Institute was launched in April 2017 with the mission to develop transformative health solutions to support control and elimination programs related to infectious diseases - mainly schistosomiasis and malaria- carrying a major toll on children. By catalysing innovative solutions for global health challenges, the Institute aims to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – especially SDG 3 for good health and well-being, in line with the Merck’s Sustainability Strategy. Dr Reinhard-Rupp is a former member of EDCTP’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the main advisory body to EDCTP’s General Assembly and the Secretariat.