Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a patient-needs-driven, non-profit research and development organization that discovers, develops, and delivers new treatments for neglected patients around the world. We were founded in 2003 by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and five leading research institutions from Brazil, India, Kenya, Malaysia, and France, with the participation of the World Health Organization, to address a fatal imbalance in the global drug development system: the lack of safe, effective, and affordable medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect the world's poorest populations.

Our unique 'virtual R&D' model bridges the gap between the private and public sectors. We do not conduct research in our own laboratories; instead, we act as a conductor, collaborating with a global network of over 200 partners including pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, and ministries of health. This collaborative approach allows us to leverage the best science available to develop treatments for deadly diseases such as sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, filarial diseases, mycetoma, pediatric HIV, and hepatitis C. By decoupling the cost of R&D from the price of medicines, we ensure that the fruits of scientific progress are accessible to the patients who need them most, regardless of their ability to pay.

Since our inception, we have successfully delivered thirteen new treatments, saving millions of lives and proving that a non-profit model can generate pharmaceutical innovation. Our work is driven by the conviction that access to life-saving medicine is a fundamental human right. We continue to advocate for a more equitable global health system, working to ensure that the needs of neglected patients are prioritized in the global R&D agenda.