Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)
Encyclopedia
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a not-for-profit public-private partnership
, was established as a foundation in Switzerland in 1999. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria
in disease-endemic countries by discovering, developing and facilitating delivery of new, effective and affordable antimalarial drug
s. Its vision is a world in which these innovative medicines will cure and protect the vulnerable and under-served populations at risk of malaria, and help to ultimately eradicate this terrible disease.
(UK), the Government of the Netherlands
, The World Bank
, and Rockefeller Foundation
.
In 1999, the pipeline for new antimalarial drug
s was virtually empty. The possibility of profit in antimalarial drug development was considered too low to attract pharmaceutical investment. Malaria was killing 1-2 million people a year, most of them children under five and pregnant women from the poorest regions of the world.
The drugs they were using no longer worked, and the need to act in the face of a projected public health disaster due to escalating drug resistance, provided reason to launch MMV and has since proved that the public-private partnership
model is an efficient way to bridge the gap in new drugs for malaria.
. MMV recently established a Board of Directors in North America.
strains of Plasmodium falciparum
, potential for intermittent treatments (infants and pregnancy), safety in small children (less than 6 months old), safety in pregnancy, efficacy against Plasmodium vivax
(including radical cure), efficacy against severe malaria, and transmission-blocking treatment.
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
, was established as a foundation in Switzerland in 1999. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
in disease-endemic countries by discovering, developing and facilitating delivery of new, effective and affordable antimalarial drug
Antimalarial drug
Antimalarial medications, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. Such drugs may be used for some or all of the following:* Treatment of malaria in individuals with suspected or confirmed infection...
s. Its vision is a world in which these innovative medicines will cure and protect the vulnerable and under-served populations at risk of malaria, and help to ultimately eradicate this terrible disease.
History
MMV was launched on 3 November 1999, with initial seed finance of US$ 4 million from the Government of Switzerland, Department for International DevelopmentDepartment for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
(UK), the Government of the Netherlands
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
, The World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, and Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
.
In 1999, the pipeline for new antimalarial drug
Antimalarial drug
Antimalarial medications, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. Such drugs may be used for some or all of the following:* Treatment of malaria in individuals with suspected or confirmed infection...
s was virtually empty. The possibility of profit in antimalarial drug development was considered too low to attract pharmaceutical investment. Malaria was killing 1-2 million people a year, most of them children under five and pregnant women from the poorest regions of the world.
The drugs they were using no longer worked, and the need to act in the face of a projected public health disaster due to escalating drug resistance, provided reason to launch MMV and has since proved that the public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
model is an efficient way to bridge the gap in new drugs for malaria.
Organization and governance
MMV is governed by a Board of Directors chosen for their scientific, medical and public health expertise in malaria and related fields, their research and management competence as well as their experience in business, finance and fundraising. The Chairman of the Board of MMV is Ray ChambersRay Chambers
Raymond G. Chambers currently serves as United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria. He was appointed to this position by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in February 2008...
. MMV recently established a Board of Directors in North America.
Project portfolio
MMV's project portfolio focuses on delivering efficacious medicines that are affordable, accessible, and appropriate for use in malaria endemic areas. Specifically, the goal is to develop products that will provide: efficacy against drug-resistantDrug resistance
Drug resistance is the reduction in effectiveness of a drug such as an antimicrobial or an antineoplastic in curing a disease or condition. When the drug is not intended to kill or inhibit a pathogen, then the term is equivalent to dosage failure or drug tolerance. More commonly, the term is used...
strains of Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. It is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. Malaria caused by this species is the most dangerous form of malaria, with the highest rates of complications and mortality...
, potential for intermittent treatments (infants and pregnancy), safety in small children (less than 6 months old), safety in pregnancy, efficacy against Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium vivax is a protozoal parasite and a human pathogen. The most frequent and widely distributed cause of recurring malaria, P. vivax is one of the four species of malarial parasite that commonly infect humans. It is less virulent than Plasmodium falciparum, which is the deadliest of the...
(including radical cure), efficacy against severe malaria, and transmission-blocking treatment.
Access and delivery
MMV works in partnership to ensure the life-saving antimalarials emerging from its research-and-development pipeline do not suffer undue delays in reaching patients in need. MMV's access team focuses on assuring acceptance of new medicines, expanding reach to vulnerable patients and measuring and evaluating impact and need.External links
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) — official website
- Medicine for Malaria Venture's Project Portfolio
- Roll Back Malaria Progress and Impact Series
- Report of the World Health Organization Expert Working Group on Research and Development Financing
- The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases 6th Report, 2010
- The Global Health Case Study Initiative
- Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Diseases