IMI—A New Path to New Medicines?

I spent an interesting morning last week in the European Parliament at a presentation of the Innovative Medicines Initiative. IMI is a joint undertaking between the European pharmaceutical association EFPIA and the EU to carry out projects, mostly in pre-competitive research, to help develop new and innovative medicines. (New medicines are not necessarily innovative – many are so-called “me-too” drugs.)

The EU has put up Euro 1 billion from the research budget. Pharmaceutical companies contribute a similar amount “in kind”. Projects usually involve companies working with universities, research institutes, public bodies and non-profit bodies, including patient organisations in some cases.

I was glad to see that a number of projects involved companies pooling data (e.g. on depression and schizophrenia) that was previously subject to strict commercial confidentiality. Done properly, data pooling should lead to better science and better medicine.

Four projects aim to improve education and training, including the development of postgraduate courses in Advanced Safety Sciences and in Pharmacovigilance...