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Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 11:37:37 -0500 (EST)
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From: "Dr. Mary Ellen Kitler" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: AFRO-NETS> Malaria Drug Discovery Research Proposals
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Call for Malaria Drug Discovery Research Proposals
--------------------------------------------------

CALL FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST

Malaria Drug Discovery Research Proposals
New Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)

The New Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) has recently been estab-
lished as a collaborative effort between several public sector or-
ganisations, the Global Forum for Health Research, several philan-
thropic organisations, and the Pharmaceutical Industry to provide a
mechanism for the sustainable discovery and development of affordable
antimalarial chemotherapies into the 21st century. The venture will
operate under the umbrella of the Roll Back Malaria Programme re-
cently initiated by the new Director-General of the World Health Or-
ganisation, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland. MMV is currently managed by
the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR) at WHO.

MMV is initially focussing its efforts on drug discovery. MMV will
provide significant resources for drug discovery projects that are
judged to have a realistic chance of obtaining a clinical development
candidate (up to several million US dollars per year over a 3 to 5
year period). Logistic support and impartial expert advice will also
be made available to MMV supported drug discovery teams in order to
facilitate the progression of projects as rapidly as possible.

It is envisaged that the majority of projects funded will be based on
a partnership between an academic centre and a pharmaceutical com-
pany. However, this should not be viewed as restrictive. Good proj-
ects will also be welcome from stand-alone academic groups or from
biotechnology and other pharmaceutical companies. Where it is thought
that a project would benefit from the establishment of a partnership,
individual groups can request assistance for this. MMV will make ef-
forts and offer its services to facilitate their establishment and so
optimise any project application.

This advertisement is initiating the process for the selection and
funding of the inaugural MMV drug discovery projects.

1. A 2-page letter of interest outlining the nature of the drug dis-
   covery project envisaged should be submitted by Friday, 26 Febru-
   ary 1999. This letter should include the following information:
   - Scientific basis for the project;
   - Project status;
   - Stage of project (e.g. target identification, target validation;
     chemical leads, activities in culture and animal models, any
     pre-clinical studies, patent status);
   - Critical issues (e.g. selectivity, pharmacokinetics, toxicology);
   - The project leader(s) who will drive the project, their back-
     ground expertise and the time they are prepared to allocate to
     the project;
   - Institutional backing available for the project and commitment
     of resources, including space to house the projects; supplemen-
     tary sources of funding; the nature of any partnerships;
   - Resource requirements (personnel, start-up and operating costs);
   - Areas where MMV assistance is needed to develop a complete drug
     discovery package (e.g. links to chemical libraries, high
     throughput screening and other methodologies, links to expertise
     in certain areas e.g. downstream pre-clinical development is-
     sues).

2. These letters of interest will be assessed by a panel of experts
   in drug discovery, including pharmaceutical industry representa-
   tives, and up to six projects will be selected for submission of a
   more detailed proposal. Assistance and advice will be given where
   necessary during this phase to optimise the quality of proposals
   and to ensure that all administrative issues are satisfactorily
   settled so that selected projects can be initiated rapidly.

3. The project teams preparing these detailed proposals will be re-
   quired to present their proposals orally as well as in written
   form, to a selection panel in second quarter 1999 in Geneva.

4. It is hoped to fund an initial set of projects in third quarter
   1999. Unsuccessful applicants will be kept updated about funding
   developments and maybe invited to resubmit as further funding be-
   comes available.

For further information please contact:

New Medicines for Malaria Venture, MMV Office (L 253)
Tropical Disease Research (TDR)
World Health Organisation
CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
Fax: +41-22-791-4854
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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