Pfizer license AIDs drug to non-profit

Pfizer have taken what some may consider to be a bold step in licensing Selzentry to the International Partnership of Microbicides to see if it can be converted into a drug that will prevent transmission of the HIV virus in women ( WSJ, 30th January 2008). What a terrific idea. It is a risky idea from a scientific perspective because the whole area of prevention in HIV/ADIS has been fraught with troubles - who can forget Merck's failed vaccine trial? However, I believe that this shows the way for pharma to effectively manage one of its biggest problems - how to make drugs available to the developing world without getting crucified for the high prices it has to charge.

The non-profit world has enormous potential for assisting healthcare delivery in the developing world. Already, in many parts of the world, the majority of healthcare delivery is managed by non-profits of one kind or another. Whether it is volunteer physicians giving their time to run clinics, or huge organizations running fully developed programs, the non-profit organizations are already playing a huge role.

Why not then take a bigger role in drug development? A number of disease specific groups are already directly owning and funding drug development (the Cystic Fybrosis Foundation is a leader in this field), and people like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are pouring huge amounts into specific disease areas. Why not then take it to the next stage? Directly acquire licensing rights to develop and distribute drugs. With the shortage of funding in early stage research that we see today, the opportunity for non-profit organizations to step up and fund development of new science that one day turns into drugs over which they have some IP control could fundamentally change the way in which developing world diseases are managed.

In addition, pharma can surely find ways to protect their developed world rights whilst also granting free access to drugs for the developing world - just as Pfizer are doing with Selzentry. Isn't this a massive win-win?

There is much more to say on this - but I have to go to a meeting.