Partnering for Global Health Forum Spurs Companies to Engage in Global Health
Chicago – May 3, 2010
More than 250 global health, biopharmaceutical, academic, and donor organization leaders gathered in Chicago today (with more than 380 participating online via webcast) to share innovative ideas and best practices to speed the development of new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for the world’s poorest.
The third Partnering for Global Health Forum, organized by BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and held in conjunction with the BIO International Convention, drew participants from 17 countries and 23 U.S. states to discuss topics ranging from translational medicine and innovative business models to research and development incentives and emerging markets.
“For far too many people around the world, the quality and length of their lives is determined by an act of fate,” said Melinda Moree, CEO of BVGH, a non-profit organization that seeks to accelerate the development of novel biotechnology-based drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics to address the unmet medical needs of the developing world. “We must come together in concrete and productive partnerships in order to connect people, ideas, and technology to save lives.”
During the meeting, BIO released a groundbreaking policy statement on options to improving access to medicines in the developing world. This policy statement represents the first time that the biotech industry has come together to identify viable options that companies should consider as they develop and market their products worldwide.
“Hundreds of millions of fellow residents on our planet lack access to basic health care and access to medicines. More can, and should, be done,” said James C. Greenwood, President and CEO of BIO.
Some of the highlights from the day’s panel’s sessions are below.
Trademark of Innovation
David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) called upon those gathered at the Forum to provide ideas for types of incentives that might be able to provide for research or exemplary humanitarian licensing practices.
“In the Obama administration, we are committed to these [BIO’s access to medicines in the developing world] principles. We believe governments can, and will, provide incentives to help eliminate these diseases in developing countries," he said. "We actively invite your thoughts about what we can do to further encourage neglected disease research as well as creative licensing strategies.”
Don't Blame the Market
In a keynote luncheon address, Dr. Nils Daulaire, Director, Office of Global Health Affairs at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, reflected on the Obama Administration's commitments to global health and the critical needs that might be addressed by the biotech community.
"The Obama administration has decided that the issues of global health are important not just for humanitarian reasons, but for reasons of international security and for the health and well-being of the American people," Daulaire said. "In my new post at a domestic agency, we see global health as a necessary component of that well-being."
Dr. Daulaire also spoke about shifting away from the idea of 'market failure' in global health. "We are not looking at failure, but rather the natural workings of the market, where you have customers who cannot afford to purchase. Rather than talk about failure, we must talk about market limitation and ways to get around limitations with perhaps something more than the invisible hand,” he said.
Emerging Markets Step Up to the Plate
Emerging markets are quickly becoming a powerhouse in spurring global health research and development, according to the closing panel at the Partnering for Global Health Forum.
"By 2013, almost 50 percent of the growth of the pharmaceutical industry will come from emerging markets," said David Campbell, Senior Principle at IMS Health. "We should not forget that there is already an industry set up, running, and driving much of the growth in these markets."
"We are seeing a paradigm shift. Emerging markets are not only acting as absorbers and consumers of medicines, but are also having a more active role in being a source of innovation to fulfill those pipelines," added Gabriela Cezar, Venture Partner at Burrill & Company.
Mamphela Ramphele, Chair of the Board for the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) in South Africa, emphasized that collaboration allows local players to use the best technology and processes to move products from the early phase of discovery right through the chain.
"Without local partners, multinational companies cannot tap into the [emerging economy] markets," Ramphele said. "South Africa represents both a multiplicity of activities inside the border and a gateway into the continent. It is not simply a question of what the 'North can do for the South,' but what can we achieve through North-South collaboration to fast track the developments of new drugs and to mine the huge market opening up."
In closing the meeting, Moree said, “We believe that global health problems can be solved by finding the common ground between the needs of patients in poor countries and the pragmatic needs of companies. And we are working to solve these problems now. During the week of BIO, we scheduled more than 100 direct partnering meetings between funders and those working in global health to talk about how they can further the development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for the neglected diseases of the developing world.”
About BIO Ventures for Global Health
BIO Ventures for Global Health is a non-profit organization whose mission is to save lives by accelerating the development of novel biotechnology-based drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics to address the unmet medical needs of the developing world. The organization spurs biotech industry involvement in global health product development by increasing biotech and global health partnerships, designing and advocating for compelling market-based incentives, and synthesizing and disseminating critical information and quantitative analysis. For more information, please visit www.bvgh.org.
About BIO
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. For more information, please visit www.bio.org.
For additional information, contact:
Molly Polen, Director of Communications, BIO Ventures for Global Health 202-470-6232