📋 Tender Overview
Neglected tropical diseases, affecting poor and marginalised populations in low- and middle-income countries, urgently need the development of new, life-saving, and affordable medicines. The Geneva-based Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative leads these efforts and provides access to innovative treatments. This work is in line with Swiss values of collaboration and innovation, and contributes to equitable access to quality medicines.
Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Health
Infectious desease
Health systems strengthening
01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028
CHF 7’200’000
The project in brief
Background Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of infectious diseases that are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions and affect over one billion people annually. Treatments and diagnostics are often ineffective, costly, or unavailable. Left untreated, neglected tropical diseases severely impact health, wellbeing, and socio-economic participation, and still cause 200,000 deaths each year. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a Geneva-based not-for-profit research organisation developing new, life-saving and affordable treatments for neglected patients, strengthening research capacity in low-income countries, and advocating for innovation and access. DNDi fosters collaborations among key actors in countries affected by these diseases, including health ministries, national disease control programmes, medicine regulatory authorities, WHO, academia, and civil society groups, as well as clinicians and health professionals. These partnerships enable DNDi to develop treatments that meet the specific needs of affected communities and to deliver the treatments that patients need. Switzerland plays a leading role in the global fight against neglected tropical diseases. Swiss research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, international non-governmental organisations, and international cooperation are at the forefront of this effort. The SDC has been supporting DNDi’s work since 2005. Swiss actors such as research institutions (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute) and pharmaceutical companies (including Roche, Novartis) are key partners of DNDi. DNDi complements the mandate of other global health actors based in Geneva and is an asset to "Genève Internationale".
Objectives Ensure equitable access to therapeutic products for neglected tropical diseases. The specific objective is to deliver 5 to 8 new treatments between 2025 and 2028.
Target groups Direct beneficiaries: One billion people worldwide affected by neglected tropical diseases, mainly in Africa and mostly those living in remote rural areas, urban slums or conflict zones. Other beneficiaries: Local clinicians, scientists, and experts in low- and middleincome countries.
Medium-term outcomes Outcome 1: New treatments adapted to the needs of vulnerable populations are developed, registered, and used. Outcome 2: Knowledge, data and expertise are shared with sta
