Can Nonprofits Rectify the Failure to Develop Drugs for Diseases of Poverty?

A variety of non-profit entities and public-private partnerships (PPPs) have emerged to tackle this unmet need. These include a number of product development partnerships (PDPs) focused explicitly on developing drugs, vaccines, or diagnostics for conditions prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. Examples of such partnerships are the Global Alliance for TB (TB Alliance), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), and Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDI). These entities raise capital primarily through government funding and philanthropic contributions and typically rely on partnerships or contracts with the private sector for product development. This leads to a crucial question: Can the non-profit sector provide the firepower necessary to address the global burden of disease?