New models for research and development in the treatment of mental illness

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S542-S543
Author(s):  
J.N. Kjær

The pharmaceutical industry's investments in research and development of novel treatments for mental illness have heavily declined in the past decade. Major private investments are, by most experts, seen as necessary to develop new treatments. However, psychiatry is not the only area overlooked by the industry. For decades infectious diseases have also lacked investments in research and development.AimsThe aims of this study were to investigate the new models of research and development in infectious diseases that emerged after the pharmaceutical industry ceased their investments and to model how these can be used in psychiatry.MethodA systematic review. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for the keywords “infectious diseases”, “research and development” and “pharmaceutical industry”.Preliminary resultsThe searches gave a total of 248 references. Among the findings, we want to highlight the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and the WHO Research and Development Treaty (R&D Treaty). DNDi is a non-profit organization that has developed six new drugs since 2003. The development costs were €150 millions per drug, which is considerably below the costs for drug development claimed by the pharmaceutical industry. The R&D Treaty will commit member states of the WHO to fund development for neglected health needs using alternative incentives like milestone prizes, patent pools and direct grants. The treaty has not yet been agreed upon.ConclusionsThough a low priority from the pharmaceutical industry, other funding models have proven able to deliver new treatments. This could also lead to more development of non-patentable treatments, e.g. psychotherapy.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Author(s):  
Patricia M. Danzon

This article summarizes the literature, and considers the issue of paying for research and development. It reviews research and development costs, regulation, productivity and incentives for innovation. It discusses market demand and pricing, effects of insurance, reimbursement regulation, alternatives to patents, and generics. Further, it reviews trends in promotion, regulation of promotion and its effects. It discusses global issues, including differential pricing and R&D for neglected diseases. The focus is on the US, as the home of the largest number of multinational pharmaceutical and smaller biotech companies. This article notes the important differences in regulatory and reimbursement systems in other countries. Finally it suggests that although there is large and growing literature on the pharmaceutical industry that has produced valuable information, important issues remain for future research.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Eccard da Silva ◽  
Angélica Amorim Amato ◽  
Maria Rita Carvalho Garbi Novaes

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> A low rate of investment in science it is directly impacts the technological independence and capacity in health care costs. Knowledge of funding sources is critical to understand the problem and formulates hypotheses for future studies.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Two databases were used: the System for Control of Clinical Research (SCCR) from the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> From 2009 to 2012, 77% of the clinical trials approved by Anvisa were sponsored by transnational pharmaceutical industry. On the other hand, the national pharmaceutical industry sponsored 8% of the trials over the same period. The most frequent sponsor of clinical trials involving drugs registered in the ICTRP from 2011 to 2012 was the transnational pharmaceutical industry (43%). Among the trials with national sponsors, are those involving neglected diseases such as chronic hepatitis C (ICD X B18.2), cutaneous leishmaniasis (ICD X B55.1) and yellow fever (ICD X A95), which were all sponsored by national governmental foundations. None of the active pharmaceutical ingredients studied by the transnational pharmaceutical industry or the transnational biopharmaceutical company were in the national list of essential medicines. On the other hand, 83% and 66.6% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients studied by national private universities and the international governmental agency, respectively, are in the national list of essential medicines.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The national pharmaceutical industry and government still invests little in Research and Development (R&amp;D) activities, when compared with transnational industries. This affects directly its technological and innovation ability.</p>


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS POGGE ◽  
AIDAN HOLLIS

In a widely cited 2003 article, DiMasi, Hansen, and Grabowski estimated the cost of pharmaceutical research and development to be $1.1 billion (year 2000 U.S. dollars) per new medicine coming onto the market in 2001. They also estimate that this cost is going up at a real (inflation-adjusted) rate of 7.4% annually. According to these estimates, the innovation cost per new medicine today is about $2.1 billion (year 2000 U.S. dollars) or $2.65 billion (year 2010 U.S. dollars).


2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (47) ◽  
pp. 1894-1902
Author(s):  
János Antal ◽  
Attila Timár

Translational medicine is the emerging scientific discipline of the last decade which will set the benchmark for the pharmaceutical industry research and development, integrates inputs from the basic sciences of computer modeling and laboratory research through the pre-clinical and clinical phases of human research to the assimilation of new therapies and treatments into everyday practice of patient care and prevention. With this brief insight authors tried in their humble way to summarize the underlying basis, the present and the potential future of this emerging view, to draw attention to some of the challenges and tasks it faces and to highlight some of the promising approaches, trends and model developments and applications. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1894–1902.


Author(s):  
G. N. Singh

India has emerged as a global player for pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical revolution of 1970-90 of Indian Pharma Industry had demonstrated that India could be self-sufficient in the manufacture of essential drugs at affordable prices. The turnover of Indian Pharmaceutical is over $30 billion in 2015 including $15 billion in exports.  It was a great honor to preside the 67th Indian pharmaceutical congress held in Mysore. The topic of Pharmacists for a Healthy India is close to my heart and being a regulator myself, I feel that the Pharmacy fraternity can play a much larger role in contributing to the healthcare system in India. Pharmacist as such are involved in a big way in the regulation of drugs, be it manufacture, be it sale or research and development. A contribution of the Pharmacists is there at every stage till the drug reaches the consumer safely. For this purpose, the society needs a pool of well qualified and experienced pharmacists, which requires regular updating of their knowledge to keep pace with the developments taking place in the pharmaceutical sector. The advancements in technology and the emerging challenges in the health sector require pharmacists to shoulder the responsibilities towards the utilization of scientific knowledge in the use of modern medicines and the protection of the public against dangers of wrong use of drugs. The Pharmacy Council of India on its part will have to ensure that the courses offered for creating a high technology based are calibrated in such a way that the education and skills developed suit to the requirements of the Pharmaceutical Industry as well as needs to the patients


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Guzman ◽  
Gisela Besa ◽  
Daniela Linares ◽  
Lara González ◽  
Caterina Pont ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The difficulty of finding new treatments for neurological diseases with great impact in our society like Alzheimer’s disease can be ascribed in part to the complexity of the nervous system and the lack of quick and cost-effective screening tools. Such tools could not only help to identify potential novel treatments, but could also be used to test environmental contaminants for their potential to cause neurotoxicity. It has been estimated that 5–10% of the anthropogenic chemicals are developmental neurotoxic (DNT) and exposure to DNT compounds has been linked to several neurological diseases. Within this study we were testing the applicability of a quick and cost-effective behavioural test using zebrafish embryos: the touch-evoked response assay, in this case, an assay evaluating the swimming response to a tap in the tail. Two acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors positive controls (paraoxon and huprine Y), as well as 10 huprine-derivative compounds were tested and the results were evaluated using 2 different methods, a quantitative and a qualitative one. Results We could show that the methodology presented is able to detect behavioural effects of AChE inhibitors. A good correlation between the results obtained with the quantitative and the qualitative method was obtained (R2 = 0.84). Conclusions Our proposed method enables combination of screening for new drugs with toxicity screening in a whole embryo model alternative to animal experimentation, thereby merging 2 drug development steps into one.


1991 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-410
Author(s):  
Mary T. Griffin

AbstractThe pharmaceutical industry has long enjoyed substantial profits despite increased requirements for drug approval and various attempts to regulate the industry. Drug companies have avoided effective regulation by blaming high prices on the costs of research and development. The search for drugs effective in combatting HIV and AIDS related illnesses has provided a stark background on which to view the actions and justifications of drug companies. Despite increased cooperation between government and the drug industry and expedited approval of several useful drugs, these drugs are still prohibitively expensive. This Article explores the history and economics of the drug industry and proposes a system of national price regulation for all drugs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112110324
Author(s):  
David J Heal ◽  
Sharon L Smith

Background: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a common psychiatric condition with adverse psychological and metabolic consequences. Lisdexamfetamine (LDX) is the only approved BED drug treatment. New drugs to treat BED are urgently needed. Methods: A comprehensive review of published psychopathological, pharmacological and clinical findings. Results: The evidence supports the hypothesis that BED is an impulse control disorder with similarities to ADHD, including responsiveness to catecholaminergic drugs, for example LDX and dasotraline. The target product profile (TPP) of the ideal BED drug combines treating the psychopathological drivers of the disorder with an independent weight-loss effect. Drugs with proven efficacy in BED have a common pharmacology; they potentiate central noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. Because of the overlap between pharmacotherapy in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and BED, drug-candidates from diverse pharmacological classes, which have already failed in ADHD would also be predicted to fail if tested in BED. The failure in BED trials of drugs with diverse pharmacological mechanisms indicates many possible avenues for drug discovery can probably be discounted. Conclusions: (1) The efficacy of drugs for BED is dependent on reducing its core psychopathologies of impulsivity, compulsivity and perseveration and by increasing cognitive control of eating. (2) The analysis revealed a large number of pharmacological mechanisms are unlikely to be productive in the search for effective new BED drugs. (3) The most promising areas for new treatments for BED are drugs, which augment noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission and/or those which are effective in ADHD.


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