TropIKA

Day 1

Opening Ceremony

The meeting was opened by the Vice-President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the chairperson for this launch, and who was represented by the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, Senator J.J. Akpan Uduodehe. The Vice President, on-behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pledged to host and provide infrastructure for ANDI in Abuja Nigeria. The meeting was attended by over 200 participants - scientists, policy makers, donors and business leaders - from 21 countries (14 countries from the African continent).

Dr. Mohammed Hassan Lawal, who is the Minister of Health and also the Minister of Labour and Productivity of Nigeria and Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre, the Minister of Science and Technology, also graced the occasion. Other dignitaries who attended the opening ceremonies included the Senate Committee Chairperson for Health Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, the WHO representative in Nigeria Dr. Peter Eriki, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Maurice Iwu who attended the meeting in his personal capacity. Dr Uford Inyang, Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and also chair of the local organizing committee, welcomed the participants and other invitees to Nigeria, and presented a goodwill message to set the tone for the meeting. Dr. Alicia Greenidge, Director-General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) in Geneva, lauded African’s involvement in the IGWG (Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property) process, and lent its support for ANDI, expressing a willingness of the IFPMA to work with ANDI to develop high quality drugs.

To demonstrate WHO’s high level support for the creation of the ANDI, the following were present: Dr. Robert Ridley, WHO/TDR Director, Dr. Elil Renganathan; Executive Secretary of WHO’s Secretariat on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property; Dr. Peter Eriki, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria; and Dr. Solomon Nwaka, Manager of Drug Discovery at WHO/TDR, Geneva.

Dr. Nwaka presented the concept and rationale for the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) with the goal to promote and sustain an Africa-led innovation through the discovery, development and delivery of affordable new tools to fight diseases in Africa, including those based on natural products and traditional medicines. This concept was welcomed and recognized by the meeting participants which will support capacity and infrastructural development, leverage existing activities in Africa to establish and manage a robust product R&D portfolio, will have elements of public-private partnerships, will manage IP and explore creative ways to stimulate product innovation in Africa. The product R&D landscape that was developed to support ANDI was presented and applauded as an excellent initial outcome of ANDI. Dr. Ridley talked about TDR’s work and the relevance of ANDI to this. Dr. Renganathan drew the link between the Global Strategy developed by the Intergovernmental working group and the creation of ANDI.

Plenary Session: Short presentations and case studies relevant to the R&D landscape in Africa.

The plenary session started with short presentations made by Dr Robert Ridley, Dr Elil Renganathan and Dr Solomon Nwaka (see Presentations 1-3). These were followed by presentations on several case studies based on going activities in Africa (see Presentations 4-13). The case studies included drug discovery based on synthetic compounds, ongoing projects based on traditional medicines and natural products, and diagnostics registered in Africa. The ensuing discussions centered on funding mechanisms for ANDI, concerns about cost of drug development and its implications, and the molecular/western approach to drug development versus the traditional/holistic approach. Intellectual property management including issues relevant to natural products and traditional medicine were also discussed. The case presentations demonstrated that capacity in Africa for product R&D does exist and that ANDI may help provide the necessary framework that will link stakeholders for a unified agenda on product R&D innovation in the continent. From the discussions, several suggestions/recommendations on how ANDI can contribute arose. They are summarized in the following:

Provide a framework for coordination among African scientists for an integrated and unified R&D agenda

Establish a searchable interactive database of scientists, centres and services to facilitate information sharing and communications among partners

Identify centres with capacities to scale up available resources, exchange expertise

Mobilize African academia/scientists with complementary disciplines to work together in priority R&D areas; may also attract better funding opportunities through ANDI

Establish SOPs and accredit laboratories/centres of excellence

Establish links with commercial arm to facilitate transition from research to product

Evaluation of Traditional Medicine compounds should be limited to accredited laboratories and subject to WHO/ANDI audit

Promote and facilitate sustainable investments through governments and other funding institutions

ANDI can help with funding advice and the development of local human resources and facilities

Develop All-African Clinical NCE candidates

Take African Traditional based herbal medicines and remedies to international market

Build an effective pre-clinical development platform in the context of an African initiative

Facilitate contacts with regional and Western pharmaceutical industries

Provide the platform for funding and investment in product R&D in Africa

ANDI can be the focal point for funding and investment for R&D in Africa

Encourage African governments to invest/support R&D

Seek recognition of diagnostics/drugs registration licenses among member states in Africa

Promote establishment of venture capitalists that focus on health innovations

Promote establishment of centres of excellence and encourage formal and informal networks among African scientists

Use convening power of ANDI to link investors to entrepreneurs, provide expertise in entrepreneurship, set up African-based investment fund and guide companies through regulatory acceptance

ANDI can provide the opportunity for bringing together African scientists and traditional health practitioners to work for a common goal

Can promote a balance in the management of multiple relationships and fair dealings in conflicts

Can set the stage for financial sustainability of product R&D activities in Africa

Poster Session

There were 93 posters submitted for presentation to the meeting. The poster session complemented the Case Studies earlier presented during the Plenary Session with specific examples of product R&D capacity in Africa. Areas covered by the posters included natural products, early phase discovery, medicinal chemistry, strategic issues for research and networking, diagnostics and modern drug discovery. The poster session was conducted throughout the meeting with participants vying for the recognition of Best in Poster Award which was announced on the last day of the meeting.

A new initiative – the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDi) ­– has been launched to promote and sustain African-led research and development in the treatment of diseases, including those based on traditional medicines and natural products. The first meeting of ANDi will be held in Abuja, Nigeria 6-8th October 2008.

The network’s launch follows numerous calls for increased investment in health R&D in Africa. It is envisaged that ANDi will have a secretariat in Africa with a strong element of public-private partnerships. ANDi will also support capacity and infrastructural development.

Many reports from international bodies have stressed the need to promote R&D and economic development in developing countries and for commitment from African governments in support of health research. Many international and philanthropic agencies do support research and capacity building in Africa. However, Africa’s own capacity has not been systematically harnessed. There is also a need for better understanding of the research needed to support informed decision making. This is especially important in the area of health product discovery, development, evaluation and delivery A mapping exercise was therefore been initiated to support and inform an R&D strategy for ANDi to better understand available human and infrastructural capacity. The exercise has involved consultation with many African researchers and scientists, interviews and discussions with scientists and policy makers, as well as literature and internet searches.

Initial data from the mapping exercise suggest that significant gaps in capacity, financing and infrastructure remain. In the area of traditional medicines, a systematic research evaluation and validation of the biological activities of traditional medicines is a gap that needs to be filled. Also needed is coordination of fragmented R&D in Africa activities. Mechanisms to support the management of intellectual property need to be put place.

The first ANDi meeting has the following objectives:

• To review the landscape for product R&D in Africa
• To discuss the operational framework of ANDi
• Produce a publication that builds on the ANDi concept paper and the R&D landscape in Africa
• To discuss and agree the next steps for ANDi.

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