The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) signed an Alliance Agreement on 21 December, demonstrating the willingness of both organizations to strengthen their collaboration and to develop a more strategic partnership in certain areas.

GARDP and DNDi outlined their common vision through the agreement: ‘As non-profit research and development organizations focused on infectious diseases of critical public health importance, GARDP and DNDi are driving innovation for and equitable access to lifesaving and lifechanging treatments not delivered by the current research and development ecosystem. GARDP and DNDi share a common approach to harness the best of the public, private, non-profit, academic, and philanthropic sectors through open and collaborative approaches, to develop and deliver treatments. For both organizations, know-how and capacity of regions with a high disease burden is an integral part of our global partnership model and a backbone for fostering sustainable innovation and equitable access.’

The new Alliance Agreement aims to maximize impact and value for the organizations, including pooling selected research and development and policy expertise, as well as working together on joint projects in countries such as India and South Africa.

GARDP was launched in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and DNDi as an important element of WHO’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. GARDP became a legal entity in 2019, following a successful three-year incubation, hosted by DNDi.