GSK plc (NYSE:GSK) has announced its plans to spend £1 billion over the next ten years on R&D focused on infectious diseases that disproportionately affect lower-income countries.
Diseases covered in the research will include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The HIV focus will be through ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture involving GSK, Pfizer and Shionogi.
The R&D initiative will have a “ring-fenced” budget, with results gauged by their impact on health rather than profit, Thomas Breuer, GSK’s chief global health officer, told Bloomberg.
“I am delighted to renew our commitment to global health research for the coming decade, consistent with our purpose to unite our science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together and our ambition to deliver health impact at scale,” said Thomas Breuer, GSK chief global health officer, in a news release.
Last year, GSK received WHO support for its RTS,S/AS01e (RTS,S) malaria vaccine.
Administration of RTS,S with seasonal antimalarials is believed to reduce clinical episodes of malaria, hospital admissions with severe malaria and deaths by approximately 70%.
“Through our focus on scientific innovation in Global Health, we have delivered the first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, the first radical cure of vivax malaria, tafenoquine, and a new tuberculosis vaccine candidate,” Breuer continued in a news release. “GSK now has more than 30 potential new vaccines and medicines (including pre-clinical assets) in 13 high-burden infectious diseases to accelerate, and we must work collectively with urgency to bring these potentially life-saving innovations to people that need them.”
Specific focuses of the £1 billion investment include the development of vaccines and medicines for malaria and tuberculosis.
The R&D initiative will also focus on curbing antibiotic resistance with vaccines related to invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis, shigellosis and other bacteria.
In addition, the R&D funding will support R&D via collaborations and alliances.
GSK Global Health R&D Hubs are developing more than 30 vaccines and drug candidates, with 13 of those focused on high-burden infectious diseases.
The company announced that the new funding would support its goal to impact the health of more than 2.5 billion people over the next decade.
GSK shares increased 1.80% to $42.75.