Research Roundup: Ebola vaccine trials in Liberia, the spread of insect-borne tropical diseases, and more

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. Last April, Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) launched the 21st Century Cures initiative, holding hearings and consultations to identify ways that Congress can accelerate Americans' access to new treatments from the development to delivery stage. A discussion draft of the legislation was released last week by Republican members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) announced on Thursday that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee will release legislation to complement the 21st Century Cures Act, stating that “One of the committee’s top priorities this year will be modernizing the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], helping to get treatments and medicines to patients as quickly and as safely as possible.” President Obama submitted his annual budget request to Congress yesterday, in which he asked for US$1.2 billion to fight antimicrobial resistance. This funding would be invested into developing new antibiotics and diagnostics, monitoring drug-resistant infections, and preventing the spread of resistant “superbugs,” particularly in healthcare settings. Obama also asked for $280 and $77 million, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA, respectively, to combat the overuse of antibiotics in both humans and livestock. Last week witnessed major wins for vaccine development and access. The US Agency for International Development announced that the US Government will commit $1 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, over the next four years. Pfizer, Inc., a major American pharmaceutical company, pledged to reduce the price of its pneumococcal vaccine by 6 percent in poor countries. The announcement has been greeted with disparate responses. Kate Elder, a vaccines policy advisor at Doctors without Borders called the price cut "tiny" and "inadequate," however Bill Gates warned that such criticism discourages pharmaceutical companies from investing into the research and development of drugs for developing countries. Serum Institute of India is currently developing several products intended to rival existing vaccines and to be sold at significantly lower prices. The Institute’s human papillomavirus vaccine could be available as early as 2018, and the manufacturers plan to sell it at one-third of the price of Merck & Co.’s Gardasil vaccine.

President Obama discussed global health and innovation in the 2015 State of the Union address. Photo: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza While others were playing State of the Union bingo or creating pretty word clouds, GHTC was closely watching the State of the Union address to see what President Barack Obama would say about US engagement in global health and America’s leadership in science and innovation. GHTC was glad to see the President highlight American involvement in combatting Ebola and underscore the need for a more effective global effort to address future health crises. Obama said: “In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola — saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn’t be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But the job is not yet done — and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.” The President also emphasized how American investments in research and innovation have saved lives and contributed to the economy. He said: “21st century businesses will rely on American science, technology, research, and development. I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine — one that delivers the right treatment at the right time.” GHTC was pleased to see America’s Commander-in-Chief draw attention to the US role in advancing innovation to save lives. For more information on why US policymakers should invest in global health research and development, check out our recent blog post, “10 reasons why US policymakers should support global health research and development.”