Advancements in drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases could be boosted by greater cooperation between pharma companies and small research programmes, says GlobalData.
Kyle S Nicholson, GlobalData’s analyst covering neurology, claims evolving ideas are constantly needed in the field that covers Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Nicholson commented: “Big pharmaceutical corporations essentially depend on research at smaller levels to drive their business and expand their portfolios, but they must find a more sustainable strategy for scouting and funding early-stage research to identify better biomarkers.
“By expanding their teams that evaluate the potential of smaller research programs, beginning early investment in their activities and encouraging investigation into new ideas, the best targets will have a better chance at quickly advancing into clinical trials.”
Nicholson also stated that although it is essential that larger and smaller players within the pharma industry collaborate to facilitate progress in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s drug development, public funding must be provided to reduce the risks involved from a business perspective.
He added: “One of the most problematic areas in the AD drug development process is phase II, where the level of research is associated with a needed investment of up to $25 million, and the success rate is as low as 25%.
“Alleviating development costs will subtract from the list of investors’ worries, and the tax benefits must also be significant for companies willing to invest in projects at an early stage, as this will provide the funding needed to accelerate research and clear regulatory hurdles.”
In recent weeks, pharma has proved its dedication to research for Alzheimer’s with the announcement of the $100m global Dementia Discovery Fund and an additional $2m donation to further the Biomarkers Across Neurodegenerative Diseases (BAND) programme.