BIO maps incentives for neglected diseases

The Biotechnology Industry Organization highlights incentives for innovation for diseases in developing countries, including Advanced Market Commitments, R&D tax incentives, priority review vouchers, transferable exclusivity, Track II patents and even prizes in the paper released June 18 at the BIO International Convention in San Diego, Calif. Some of the incentives are already being adopted. For example, the FDA Amendments Act includes a mechanism to encourage development of tropical diseases - including AIDS - by offering sponsors a transferable priority review voucher. Additionally, an investigational version of Wyeth's currently marketed Prevnar is an anticipated candidate for a pediatric pneumococcal AMC, as is an investigational vaccine, Streptorix, being developed by GlaxoSmithKline (1"The Pink Sheet," Nov. 26, 2007, p. 24)