Further Boost for Europe’s Largest Healthcare Partnership

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) has announced the launch of IMI2, with a budget of €3.3 billion (US$ 4.5 bn).

IMI (the Innovative Medicines Initiative) is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the European Commission and EFPIA, and was already the largest healthcare PPP in Europe. The budget for its first phase (2008-2013) was €2 bn (US$2.7 bn). 

So far, IMI projects have shown a positive impact on research and development: the NEWMEDS project has created the largest known database of studies on schizophrenia; the New Drugs for Bad Bugs Programme has launched project to tackle the growing threat of anti-microbial resistance; and the eTox project is developing a drug safety database based on both industry and public toxicology data, in a step towards greater safety for patients.

The 

 was developed to address areas of unmet medical need, finding inspiration in the World Health Organization’s Priority Medicines Report. Projects aim to advance trends in personalized medicines; to further R&D in areas of unmet medical need; and to address the regulatory context in hopes of speeding translation from research to innovation.

Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Director, Health, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission:, said “IMI2 will carry on the collaborative spirit of IMI by bringing together the pharmaceutical industry, academic health research partners, small and medium enterprises, patients and regulators to advance scientific research and development for a healthy European society.”

More information on IMI 2 can be found here.