By Africa.com | Created at 2024-10-03 17:10:01 | Updated at 2024-10-03 19:31:46
2 hours ago
The last decade has been transformative for Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) research and development (R&D), with epidemics like Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19 reshaping the global health landscape. A newly released report, “Landscape of Emerging Infectious Disease Research and Development: Lessons Learned,“ examines the evolution of funding for EID R&D from 2014 to 2022, with a preview of funding trends in 2023. This comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into how funding priorities have shifted, the successes and failures in EID preparedness, and the lessons learned as the world faces new and ongoing disease threats.
Global R&D Response to Epidemics
The report traces how global attention and funding for EID research have fluctuated, often reacting to crises like the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic. During these periods, global investments surged but have typically declined once the immediate threat passed. This reactive funding approach has hindered sustained progress, with significant gaps remaining in the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for many priority pathogens.
COVID-19 dominated global R&D efforts, accounting for over three-quarters of the funding in 2022. The report highlights that while COVID vaccine R&D remained relatively stable, investments in biologics, which initially received substantial attention, dropped sharply. Private sector funding for therapeutics also plummeted after peaking in 2021.
Platform Technologies and Multi-Disease R&D: A Post-Pandemic Shift
One of the most significant shifts identified in the report is the rise in funding for platform technologies, which are adaptable across multiple pathogens. These platforms hold promise for rapidly addressing future disease threats, such as the yet-to-emerge “Disease X.” The post-pandemic focus on these technologies suggests a more forward-looking approach to R&D that could help the world better prepare for future epidemics.
The report also emphasizes the importance of multi-disease R&D, which targets entire viral families. This approach is a growing trend but still accounts for a small portion of global R&D funding. In 2022, multi-coronaviral R&D saw a significant boost, driven by the need for vaccines and treatments that address multiple strains and variants of the virus.
Insights from Past Epidemics: Ebola, Zika, and Mpox
The report underscores the lessons learned from previous epidemics. Ebola R&D funding saw a steady decline after the 2015 peak, despite two successful vaccines being developed. However, the lack of coordinated drug development during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic mirrored earlier challenges seen during the Ebola crisis. Similarly, R&D funding for Zika plateaued after the 2015-2016 Americas outbreak, with none of the initial vaccine candidates progressing beyond early-stage trials.
In 2022, Mpox (formerly monkeypox) R&D emerged in response to the WHO’s declaration of a public health emergency, receiving $80 million in its first year. The report highlights the rapid response to Mpox as a positive example of global health preparedness.
The Future of EID R&D Funding: Challenges and Opportunities
Looking ahead, the report provides a sobering outlook on the funding landscape for 2023. Preliminary data shows a significant reduction in COVID R&D funding, with key funders like the NIH and BARDA cutting their contributions by more than half. However, there are positive signs of increased investment in R&D infrastructure for future threats, particularly in the development of broadly applicable technologies.
The report concludes by emphasizing the need for sustained, forward-looking investment in EID R&D. It calls for a more coordinated global response that ensures not only the development of vaccines and treatments but also equitable access to these products in regions most vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases.
As the world continues to face new threats, from Lassa fever to Marburg and beyond, this report provides a roadmap for improving pandemic preparedness and ensuring that the lessons of the past decade are not forgotten.
