Innovative R&D development presented at the Stop TB Partnership's Working Group on New TB Drugs

The Stop TB Partnership's Working Group on New TB Drugs (WGND) met prior to the start of the Union World Conference, and included a presentation on The Life Prize - a new initiative to improve the way research and development on new tuberculosis (TB) regimens is conducted, developed by a group of partners including The Union.

The WGND helps coordinate, guide, and accelerate the speed of worldwide development of lifesaving new cures to improve TB therapy.

Speaking at the WGND meeting, Grania Brigden, The Life Prize Project Lead, The Union, said:

“This project can expedite the work of everyone in this room. The Life Prize will rapidly deliver affordable short course regimens effective against all forms of TB, by providing incentives at the early stages of development, offering prizes to researchers whose work meets the criteria of the project.

“We want to be developing combinations, using new and repurposed drugs. And we need to make sure these get to everyone who needs them.

“We need a health TB drug pipeline, an increase in investment, an open and collaborative R&D approach, good affordability and sustainable access provisions. The Life Prize will enable all of this.”

The Life Prize aims to launch in 2018 with a call for prizes for early compounds and additional funding for clinical trials for new drugs and regimens.

Find out more about The Life Prize by registering your interest at thelifeprize.org