Novartis and leading research organizations join forces to fight Dengue fever

Novartis scientists have joined forces with leading research organizations in the fight to prevent, treat and eradicate Dengue fever.

As part of the Singapore Dengue Consortium, the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) and 10 other scientific bodies will share information and findings to better understand the virus which causes fever, severe joint pain and in some cases hemorrhage, shock and death.

Dengue has become a major public health concern and is now endemic in more than 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-east Asia and the Western Pacific.

“By joining so many scientists from different institutions, NITD aims to contribute to the efforts to increase our understanding of the biology of the dengue virus,” said Professor Paul Herrling, PhD, head of Corporate Research, Novartis International AG and Chairman, NITD. “The faster we can answer the open questions, the faster we will be able to develop treatments for this disease.’’

NITD aims to contribute to the efforts to increase our understanding of the biology of the dengue virus

Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) are caused by four closely related viral strains. The virus, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, strikes an estimated 50 to 100 million people a year requiring 500,000 hospitalizations. Currently there are no vaccines or drugs for dengue and prevention efforts rely solely on mosquito control.

“The Singapore Dengue Consortium will play a vital part in not only helping to better understand the virus, but also developing strategies to prevent, treat and eventually eradicate this debilitating and potentially deadly disease,” said Dr. Ooi Eng Eong, Program Director of Biological Defense at the DSO National Laboratories, Singapore’s foremost research institution.

The Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) was founded in 2002 and is a public-private partnership between Novartis AG and the Singapore Economic Development Board.

Over the last 20 years, researchers have had little success with developing a vaccine for Dengue. A vaccine would have to protect against all four Dengue viral types. Should one part of the four “arms” of the vaccine fail, those vaccinated would be at a greater risk for DHF than those who had not been vaccinated at all.

Those hurdles have lead scientists at NITD to concentrate on developing antiviral compounds for the disease. Researchers believe it will be more cost-effective to administer antivirals in particular areas at the first indication of an outbreak than mass inoculations.

NITD is focused on finding new drugs for the treatment of tropical diseases including Dengue, malaria and tuberculosis. Based in Singapore, NITD was established in 2003 as a public-private partnership between Novartis and the Singapore Economic Development Board.

The long-term goal of Novartis is to help reduce the overall level of affliction caused by tropical diseases and ultimately to improve the prosperity of developing countries.

The 11 scientific organizations in the consortium include; the DSO National Laboratories, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Experimental Therapeutics Center A*STAR, Genome Institute of Singapore A*STAR, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology A*STAR, Nanyang Technological University, National Environment Agency, National Healthcare Group, National University of Singapore, NITD, Singapore Health Services.

 

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