The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund has announced a total investment of approximately $18m in six R&D projects for the development of drugs for malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Malaria is a serious infectious disease worldwide, with an estimated 282m cases and 610,000 deaths annually. Numerous challenges exist, including drug resistance, the difficulty of maintaining strict adherence to oral drug regimens, and the substantial human resources and costs required to regularly distribute these medications to every household.
To address this, the GHIT Fund has decided to invest approximately $5.7m in a global partnership for preclinical studies of a long-acting injectable (LAI) for malaria prevention. This project is being led by Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Nagasaki University and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). The investment builds on a previous GHIT-supported project that received approximately $2m in 2023.
The project aims to conduct chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) research and development, manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and investigational drug product and perform preclinical development of the candidate, completing the necessary preparations for a phase 1 clinical trial application (CTA). Through the development of this innovative long-acting injectable (LAI), which can provide prevention benefits over the entire transmission season through a single injection, the project is expected to strengthen malaria prevention frameworks and contribute to the eradication of malaria.
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, and it is mainly classified into three types. An estimated 50,000 to 90,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) occur worldwide each year, with Eastern Africa now accounting for more than 70%, half of which occur in children under age 15. While cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is not fatal, an estimated 600,000 new cases occur yearly, posing a major public health challenge.
To address the shortcomings of current visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatment, such as safety concerns, cold chain requirements, long regimens, and drug resistance, the GHIT Fund has decided to invest approximately $4.8m into the development of DNDI-6174, an oral drug candidate for the treatment of VL and CL advanced by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Eisai Co., Ltd. This funding represents a continued investment, following the previous support in 2021 for a project valued at approximately $3.8m. The development of this first-in-class oral drug candidate with a novel mechanism of action is expected to provide a short-course treatment option for low-resource and field settings.
In addition, the GHIT Fund will invest a total of approximately $7.3m in the following four R&D projects:
A phase 1 clinical trial of a Plasmodium falciparum monoclonal antibody project led by PATH, Ehime University and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
Integrated diagnostics enabled by artificial intelligence digital pathology for soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis, led by Sweden-based AI startup company Enaiblers AB, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Medical and Life Sciences, Niigata University, Asahikawa Medical University, and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia.
A hit-to-lead optimisation of novel antiviral compounds for flavivirus infections led by Eisai Co., Ltd., DNDi and the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS).
Lead development of a novel anti-tuberculosis agent with activity against drug-resistant TB and potential to shorten treatment targeting mycobacterial dormancy led by Niigata University and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Inc. (TB Alliance).
As of June 19, 2026, there are 46 ongoing projects, including 21 discovery projects, 13 preclinical projects, and 12 clinical trials in the GHIT Fund’s portfolio. The total amount of investments since 2013 is $293m.