GSK To Invest $1.2 Bn in R&D for Lower-Income Countries

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced an investment of £1 billion ($1.2 billion) over 10 years to accelerate research and development for infectious diseases in lower-income countries.

The research will focus on new vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat malaria, tuberculosis, HIV (through GSK’s ViiV Healthcare, a specialist HIV company), neglected tropical diseases, and anti-microbial resistance.

The investment will be used to develop vaccines and medicines for malaria and tuberculosis, including long-acting injectables to protect against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The investment will further fund partnerships with the goal of ending HIV/AIDS and enabling access to news treatments. The investment will also target reducing antibiotic resistance through vaccines, including vaccines against invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis and shigellosis, and provided funding for external funding for R&D for high-burden infectious diseases.

To deliver against these targets, GSK has formed a dedicated, non-commercial global health unit for which success will be measured by health impact alone. It will prioritize the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in lower-income countries.

The function includes dedicated global health innovation hubs for vaccines and pharmaceuticals. These hubs have more than 30 potential vaccines and medicines targeting 13 high-burden infectious diseases.

Source: GlaxoSmithKline