Improving the health and life expectancy of the populations of the less developed countries of the world requires both better access to medicines and research and development (R&D) of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics. Achieving the latter is a critical part of a package of steps needed to treat and ultimately eradicate the infectious diseases prevalent predominately in the poorest regions of the developing world.

This book focuses on the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as an innovative approach to the discovery, development and provision of drugs and vaccines for less developed countries. It considers the challenges such PPPs will face if they are to be successful, using four case studies. These are:

● the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV);
● the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI);
● the Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI); and
● the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (GATB).

All four focus on the top three infectious disease killers in the developing world: malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS.