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Finding New Treatments
[1]
Unmet medical need and strong science
Research and development remains a cornerstone of the Novartis strategy and a foundation
of our future. Over the years, our teams have made progress toward fighting devastating
diseases ranging from breast cancer to multiple sclerosis to malaria. We believe innovation that produces breakthrough medicines, devices and solutions will be
critical in the coming years as demographic trends increase pressure on healthcare systems
to produce the best results at the lowest overall cost. Innovation more broadly is also a key
enabler of access to healthcare. Altogether, this supports our efforts to grow in emerging
markets and can help us respond to unmet medical needs of patients, whether in the
developed or developing world.
We seek to develop medicines and products that can generate positive real-world outcomes
for patients and healthcare providers. The benefits can range from improving the costeffectiveness of high-quality care to prolonging lives. We are developing services and
technologies to increase the benefits of our core products, often in collaboration with
healthcare providers and technology companies.
Infectious diseases
Bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms continue to significantly impact human health,
despite major medical advances. Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death in
children and adolescents, and one of the leading causes of death in adults. We are working
across the spectrum of these diseases, including tropical diseases such as malaria that alone
kills almost 430 000 people each year. The Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) is
dedicated to finding new medicines for neglected diseases, and we continue to make strides
against various infectious diseases, including malaria, African sleeping sickness,
leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
The Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) [2] is dedicated to finding new medicines for
neglected diseases, and we continue to make strides against various infectious diseases [3] including malaria, African sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
Fighting antimicrobial resistance
Drug-resistant bacteria are an emerging threat to public health. In 2016, we joined with
leading industry peers to present a roadmap for combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
We continue to conduct research into new antibiotic treatments for the most devastating
infectious diseases. In 2016, we began a first-in-human clinical trial to test an injectable
compound designed to kill drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Our generic medicines
division, Sandoz, is also the world’s largest generic antimicrobial producer.
Adaptive R&D
Adaptive R&D is the modification of an existing medicine to improve therapeutic efficacy,
safety, and access to medicine, and – most importantly – to generate a positive health
outcome. Most often, this work is done with a specific focus on poor and vulnerable patient
groups, such as children or the elderly.
We systematically evaluate and execute adaptive R&D projects related to mature products in
our existing portfolio. As an example, we are currently working on developing a once-daily
form for lumefantrine, which is also a key component of Coartem, our artemisinin-based
combination therapy against malaria.
We also look for ways to expand the clinical use of existing medicines into new indications
and populations. This includes ongoing work on new indications, such as multidrug-resistant
tuberculosis for Lamprene (clofazimine), an agent to treat leprosy.
You can learn more about our R&D efforts in the R&D section of the Corporate Responsibility
Performance Report 2016. [4]
Learn more about our overall research efforts [5]
Collaborating to eliminate rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in
Zambia
RHD has been eliminated in most developed nations, but sub-Saharan Africa studies show
that approximately 2-3% of school-age children have signs of this often fatal disease.1
Zambian healthcare providers from the Lusaka University Teaching Hospital, Novartis
Institutes for BioMedical Research, physicians from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)
and the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) are collaborating to promote RHD
prevention by treating children with streptococcal infections and silent RHD. The collaboration
has screened over 3,000 Zambian children in 50 Lusaka schools using new technology: handheld portable echocardiography machines. Children diagnosed with RHD are offered
treatment with monthly penicillin injections to prevent recurrent strep throat and associated
cardiac damage, according to national guidelines in Zambia. In addition, multiple trainings of
healthcare staff and school teachers have taken place, while an open-source mobile health
platform, called the eRegistry, has been developed and launched to help local doctors track
patient care. At the invitation of the health authorities in Zambia, the collaboration plans to
extend the rollout of the RHD training and treatment effort from the initial Lusaka scheme to
provinces across Zambia, with the ultimate goal of eliminating RHD in the country.
Read more about this collaboration [6]
Partnering with the first drug discovery center on the African
continent
Supported by The Novartis Research Foundation, Novartis has entered a research
partnership with H3-D, the first fully integrated drug discovery and development center on the
African continent, affiliated with the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The goal of the
center is to educate the next generation of African scientists and to work on diseases that
affect people on the African continent. The partnership between Novartis and H3-D involves
research collaborations in TB and malaria, support with the set-up of a clinical study site at H3D, scientific exchange programs and infrastructure support.
Research Consortium
Novartis is a founding member of WIPO Re:Search, established to accelerate discovery and
development of medicines, vaccines and diagnostics for neglected tropical diseases.
Learn more [7]
Footnotes: 1. New England Journal of Medicine [8]
(link is external)
Source URL: https://www.novartis.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/expanding-accesshealthcare/finding-new-treatments
Links
[1] https://www.novartis.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/expanding-access-healthcare/finding-newtreatments
[2] https://www.nibr.com/our-research/institutes/novartis-institute-tropical-diseases
[3] https://www.novartis.com/stories/discovery/killing-three-diseases-one-stone-lab
[4] https://www.novartis.com/sites/www.novartis.com/files/novartis-cr-performance-report-2016research.pdf
[5] https://www.novartis.com/our-work/research-development
[6] https://www.novartis.com/news/contributing-breath-fresh-air-zambian-health-care
[7] https://www.novartis.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/expanding-access-healthcare/finding-newtreatments/research-consortium
[8] http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa065085#t=articleTop