The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, headquartered in Japan, has announced a total investment of approximately JPY 2 billion ($12.7 million) in eight projects for the development of new diagnostics and drugs for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and malaria.
To advance measures against leishmaniasis, the GHIT Fund has decided to invest JPY 670 Million ($4.2 Million) to support a project led by the Ohio State University in collaboration with Nagasaki University and icddr,b, an international health research organisation based in Bangladesh. Building on previous research, the project will refine formulations of the leishmanin antigen, conduct pre-clinical safety and efficacy studies, and prepare for regulatory submissions for clinical trials.
The GHIT Fund will also invest in two malaria projects: approximately JPY 680 million ($4.2 million) for the development of a malaria therapeutic drug through a partnership between Eisai Co. and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and approximately JPY 585 million ($3.7 million) for the development of a preventive drug for P. falciparum malaria under the partnership of Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), GSK Global Health, Eisai and Ehime University.
In addition, the GHIT Fund will invest in the following five screening projects for a total amount of approximately JPY 83 million ($0.5 million)-
1) Screening project against malaria by MMV and Daiichi Sankyo Co.
2) Screening project against dengue and Zika by Eisai and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)
3) Screening project against Lassa fever by MMV and RIKEN
4) Screening project against Rift Valley fever by MMV and RIKEN
5) Screening project against Ebola and Marburg by MMV and RIKEN
