FIOCRUZ, DNDi and Brazil collaborate on R&D for neglected diseases

At the opening ceremony of the XVIII International Congress for Tropical Medicines and Malaria (ICTMM) and the XLVIII Congress of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine in Rio de Janeiro, the Ministry of Health of Brazil signed a Cooperation and Technical Assistance Agreement with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) Latin America, uniting the three actors into a strategic partnership to collaborate on research and development (R&D) for new therapies and diagnostics for neglected diseases.

Brazil's Secretary of Science and Technology Carlos Gadelha, FIOCRUZ President Paulo Gadelha, and DNDi Latin America Executive Director Eric Stobbaerts signed the agreement on stage in front of the 1,000-plus attendees of the Congress. By committing resources to this partnership, the Ministry of Health will carry out its neglected-disease R&D strategy defined earlier this year. The strategy aims to boost innovation in the field of neglected diseases and provide new health tools to Brazil's public health programmes.

'We are proud to be part of this strategic partnership that will enable DNDi and its Brazilian founding partner FIOCRUZ to coordinate and strengthen efforts to address the urgent needs of patients suffering from neglected diseases in the region', said Eric Stobbaerts, Head of DNDi Latin America. 'This agreement will pave the way for this new R&D mechanism, led by Brazil, to bring local innovation to global public health.'

Source: Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative