Global Health EDCTP3 intensifies its efforts to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) cover a diverse group of diseases caused by different pathogens that have diverse manifestations, life cycles and methods of transmission, and which cause pain and disability to over one billion people. Global Health EDCTP3 is investing into research and development of new and improved health technologies and interventions to tackle these diseases.
Significant progress has been made to tackle NTDs in the last decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that fifty countries have eliminated at least one NTD by August 2023 and the number of people requiring interventions against NTDs dropped by 25% between 2010 and 2021. Nonetheless, NTDs are still responsible for a high burden of disease in many impoverished and marginalized communities, including in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
In 2014, NTDs (also known as neglected infectious diseases) were included in the scope of the second European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership programme (EDCTP2, 2014-2024), under which over forty projects working to tackle these where supported. Since its establishement in 2021, Global Health EDCTP3 has further priotised investments into research and development of new products and interventions to detect, prevent and treat NTDs.
Back in December 2023, Global Health EDCTP3 participated in the first ever health-day at COP 28, as well as at the Reaching the Last Mile Forum side-event, where we announced a pledge of over €46 million to fight NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa. Over €19 million have already been allocated to collaborative research projects working on the development of preventive and treatment strategies to combat diseases such as human African trypanosomiasis or soil-transmitted helminthiases.
These projects include:
Project Acronym | Project Title |
eWHORM | Enabling the WHO-Roadmap 2030 |
NeuroSolve | Implementation of superior treatment regimen and improved patient pathway for neurocysticercosis in Sub-Saharan Africa |
STOP2030 | Towards the interruption of transmission of soil-transmitted helminths: promoting implementation of research results of a fixed-dose combination of co-formulated ivermectin and albendazole |
STROGHAT | Stop transmission of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis |
Under Work Programme 2024, €140 million will be distributed through seven different funding opportunities ('topics') aiming to tackle a number of infectious diseases. In particular, €22 million will be allocated to research projects working on accelerating the development and integration of therapeutics against NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa. The projects funded will contribute to the development of new therapeutics against NTDs, as well as improve the understanding of barriers for progression of both existing and new therapeutics against NTDs through the R&D pipeline and advance their integration into national health systems.
Moreover, other 2024 funding opportunities also include certain NTDs in their scope, such as chikungunya and leishmaniasis. These include the topic on developing new tools for vector control or the topic on supporting innovative digital health solutions. Projects funded under these will thus further contribute to the prevention and controls of NTDs, alongside other infectious diseases.
Background information
The Global Health EDCTP3 invests in global health through funding collaborative research and innovation projects tackling infectious diseases and supporting activities for research capacity building in Africa. All funded projects can be found on our dedicated page. Information on EDCTP2’s investments into NTD research can be found here.
Work Programme 2024, including its funding opportunities, was published on 21 December 2023. Submission of applications for all 2024 funding opportunities is open until 4 April 2024.
Several information sessions ('Info days') will take place on 6 and 7 February to provide further guidance to interested parties on the 2024 Work Programme, including the call for proposals on 'Accelerating development and integration of therapeutics against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in sub-Saharan Africa':
- 6 February: Online English-language Info day hosted by the European Commission. Link to register here.
- 7 February: Online Portuguese-language Info day hosted by the Portuguese Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation. Link to register here.
- 7 February: In-person French-language Info day hosted by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Link to register here.