Key players join forces to advance global health

A new landmark partnership between Novo Nordisk Foundation, Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was announced at the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Global Science Summit in Denmark in May 2024. The goal of the partnership is to accelerate global health research and development (R&D). At the Summit, thought leaders and policymakers from across the world came together to discuss global health challenges and inspire innovative solutions. Ahead of the event, Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of Novo Nordisk Foundation, said: ‘By bringing together around 150 leading experts from across disciplines, sectors and geographies, we hope to catalyse the development of new knowledge that can lead to transformative, accessible solutions for people facing disease, food insecurity and the devastation wrought by climate change’. As these challenges are closely interconnected, their resolution requires an interdisciplinary approach. Novo Nordisk Foundation, Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will collaborate for three years and have each committed US$100 million to fund research for innovative solutions to overcome health challenges. Krogsgaard Thomsen said: ‘By pooling the vast experience and unique expertise of each organization ‐ across research, technology, innovation, and enterprise ‐ we can make advances that wouldn’t otherwise be possible’. Initially, the organisations will focus on climate and sustainability and infectious diseases, pooling their resources and knowledge to push forward research in these key areas. This will help overcome bottlenecks created by scientific research occurring in silos.