Total Investment of Approx. USD 18 Million in Malaria, Tuberculosis and NTD R&D Projects with Partners Including Shionogi, Eisai, Nagasaki, Ehime and Niigata University

The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund announced today a total investment of approximately JPY 2.86 billion (USD 18 million¹) in six R&D projects for the development of drugs for malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).²

Investment of approx. JPY 910 million (USD 5.7 million¹) for preclinical studies of a long-acting injectable for malaria prevention

Malaria is a serious infectious disease worldwide, with an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths annually³. Numerous challenges exist, including drug resistance, the difficulty of maintaining strict adherence to oral drug regimens, and the substantial human resources and costs required to regularly distribute these medications to every household.

To address this issue, the GHIT Fund has decided to invest approximately JPY 910 million (USD 5.7 million¹) in a global partnership for preclinical studies of a long-acting injectable (LAI) for malaria prevention. This project is being led by Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Nagasaki University and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). The investment builds on a previous GHIT-supported project⁴ that received approximately JPY 330 million (USD 2.0 million¹) in 2023.

This project aims to conduct Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) research and development, manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and investigational drug product and perform preclinical development of the candidate, thereby completing the necessary preparations for a Phase 1 Clinical Trial Application (CTA). Through the development of this innovative long-acting injectable (LAI), which can provide prevention benefits over the entire transmission season through a single injection, the project is expected to strengthen malaria prevention frameworks and contribute to the future eradication of malaria.

Investment of approx. JPY 770 million (USD 4.8 million¹) in the development of an oral drug candidate for visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis 

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, and it is mainly classified into three types. An estimated 50,000 to 90,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) occur worldwide each year, with Eastern Africa now accounting for more than 70%, half of which occur in children under age 15. While cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is not fatal, an estimated 600,000 new cases occur yearly, posing a major public health challenge.

To address the major shortcomings of current visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatment, such as safety concerns, cold chain requirements, long regimens, and drug resistance, the GHIT Fund has decided to  invest approximately JPY 770 million (USD 4.8 million¹) into the development of DNDI-6174, an oral drug candidate for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis(VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) advanced by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Eisai Co., Ltd. This funding represents a continued investment, following the previous support⁵ provided in 2021 for a project valued at approximately JPY 610 million (USD 3.8. million¹). The development of this first-in-class oral drug candidate with a novel mechanism of action is expected to provide a short-course treatment option well-suited for low-resource and field settings.

In addition, the GHIT Fund will invest a total of approximately JPY 1.17 billion (approx. USD 7.3 million¹) in the following four R&D projects:

1)  A Phase 1 clinical trial of a Plasmodium falciparum monoclonal antibody project led by PATH, Ehime University and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

2)  Integrated diagnostics enabled by Artificial Intelligence digital pathology for soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis, led by Sweden-based AI startup company Enaiblers AB, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Medical and Life Sciences, Niigata University, Asahikawa Medical University, and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia.

3)  A Hit-to-Lead optimization of novel antiviral compounds for flavivirus infections led by Eisai Co., Ltd., Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS).

4)  Lead development of a novel anti-tuberculosis agent with activity against drug-resistant TB and potential to shorten treatment targeting mycobacterial dormancy led by Niigata University and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Inc. (TB Alliance).

Please refer to Appendix 1 for detailed descriptions of these projects and their development stages.

As of June 19, 2026, there are 46 ongoing projects, including 21 discovery projects, 13 preclinical projects, and 12 clinical trials⁶ in the GHIT Fund’s portfolio. The total amount of investments since 2013 is JPY 46.8 billion (USD 293 million¹) (Appendix 2).

1 USD 1 = JPY 159.38, the approximate exchange rate on May 29, 2026.

2 These awarded projects were selected and approved as new investments from among proposals to RFP2025-002 for the Target Research Platform, the Screening Platform, the Hit-to-Lead Platform, and the Product Development Platform.

3 WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria

4 Project details: G2023-218  https://www.ghitfund.org/investment/portfoliodetail/detail/221/en

5 Project details: G2020-116: https://www.ghitfund.org/investment/portfoliodetail/detail/181/en

6 This number includes projects in the registration phase.

About GHIT Fund

The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases. https://www.ghitfund.org/