references
STRATEGY
emergence of new infectious disease risks and LMICs facing a double burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. The political context of global health is also evolving, with the lack of equitable access to new health tools increasingly seen as a problem, including in high-income countries as, for example, in hepatitis C. The challenge is therefore better understood as one of “neglected diseases, neglected patients and populations in neglected health and social systems”– that is, of ensuring that the global R&D system meets the needs of all, especially of the poorest and most vulnerable populations in the most neglected settings.
A dynamic and pragmatic approach to ensure DNDi can respond to changing needs Given the complexities of drug discovery and development, the timelines of a research and development organization are lengthy. By essence, our commitments and objectives are long term. The challenge lies in continuing to meet these, while also ensuring DNDi remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of patients. Within this rapidly changing landscape, DNDi’s new Business Plan for 2015 to 2023 aims to give the organization the flexibility to address urgent unmet patients’ needs, by
introducing the concept of a dynamic portfolio as a tool to guide the evolution of DNDi’s activities. This will involve identifying and selecting new opportunities through a detailed decision-making and evaluation framework, as well as for phasing out projects when they reach completion and/or are not part of our core activities, as was recently the case for our malaria portfolio that was transferred to the Medicines for Malaria Venture. Ultimately, decisions to enter into new projects will always be based on patients’ needs, existing R&D opportunities, an absence of other actors in the field, and ability to engage operational partners.
The Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Director launching DNDi’s new Business Plan for 2015-2023 in Basel, Switzerland, September 2015.
6 › DNDi Annual Report 2015
