Global Health\nPriority BoxProactive Pandemic\nPreparedness

The coronavirus pandemic\noutbreak of 2019 highlighted\nthe critical\nimportance of preparedness for current and future public health threats\n(https://www.mmv.org/mmv-open/global-health-priority-box/about-global-health-priority-box). While the main attention for the past few years has been on COVID-19\nresearch, this focus has reduced global resources on research in other\nareas, including malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Such\na shift in focus puts at risk the hard-earned progress in global health\nachieved over the past two decades (https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/10-global-health-issues-to-track-in-2021). To address the urgent need for new drugs to combat drug-resistant\nmalaria, emerging zoonotic diseases, and vector control, Medicines\nfor Malaria Venture (MMV) and Innovative Vector Control Consortium\n(IVCC) assembled a collection of 240 compounds and, in August 2022,\nlaunched the Global Health Priority Box (GHPB). This collection of\ncompounds has confirmed activity against emerging pathogens or vectors\nand is available free of charge. This valuable tool enables researchers\nworldwide to build on each other’s work and save precious time\nand resources by providing a starting point for the further development\nof treatments and insecticides. Furthermore, this open access box\naligns with two of the many priorities outlined by the World Health\nOrganization (WHO) (https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/10-global-health-issues-to-track-in-2021).