Source: Luiz Carlos Dias
Principal investigator of LOLA / DNDi and MMV and coordinator of the MINDI consortium
Boletim Eletrônico da Sociedade Brasileira de Química
It is with great satisfaction that we celebrate the launch of th: e Molecules Initiative for Neglected Diseases (MINDI) consortium – https://mindi.iqm.unicamp.br/ – with the aim of discovering new drug candidates for the treatment of malaria, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. This project is the result of a PITE agreement signed between the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), the University of São Paulo (USP), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and the Foundation Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP). These fantastic organizations, MMV and DNDi, have a fabulous track record in developing new treatments and medications for various tropical parasitic diseases and have been saving millions of lives. Collaborations with MMV and DNDi officially started in March 2013. The project with DNDi was called LOLA (Lead Optimization Latin America) and the one with MMV was called Brazil Heterocycles.
This project is the first partnership involving MMV and DNDi and the Latin American academy that is dedicated to the optimization of leading compounds, a complex and crucial step in the drug discovery process. The goal is to develop drugs that can be administered orally, are highly effective, have low toxicity and are inexpensive and accessible. With MMV, as an extra challenge, we are working to develop a UNIQUE DOSE treatment for malaria – and what a great challenge this is!
This project also aims to bring to Brazil new experiences in the area of drug discovery, highlighting the importance of collaborative work in this challenging area of research. In this work, MMV and DNDi, together with several partners and world-renowned scientists from academia and global pharmaceutical companies, research institutes and universities in Brazil and abroad, join forces around a single objective: SAVE LIFE of the most neglected people on this planet.
This collaborative work has already had a positive impact on the development of new capabilities in Brazil, helping to broaden our horizon and establish new technologies for this complex and challenging drug development pipeline. Still, it was only the beginning of this journey. Now it’s time to take it a step further. In the next 5 years, with this consolidated consortium, we will have the right tools to try to achieve our goals and make a difference.
This is a concrete example of science with a return to society: the best science for those who need it most, the best science for the most neglected, the best science for solving human challenges. Science to do good, to develop and improve people’s lives. And I believe that nothing can be more innovative than helping to save lives.
The project launched today not only consolidates the success of our ongoing collaborations, but also shows that these renowned international organizations recognize the high quality of science carried out in Brazil. Everything we do is to save lives!
Link to article: http://boletim.sbq.org.br/noticias/2020/n3519.php