GOLD2024

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, North America Inc.

Best Science for the Most Neglected

aka DNDi   |   New York, NY   |  http://www.dndina.org

Mission

We, at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), are committed to discovering, developing and delivering safe, effective, affordable treatments for children and adults affected by devastating neglected diseases. Since 2003, DNDi has developed 13 new treatments for six deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. Our work focuses on devastating neglected diseases and other infectious diseases affecting neglected populations where we can have the most impact. We were founded in 2003 by the medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders after they dedicated a portion of their Nobel Peace Prize award to exploring a new, alternative, not-for-profit model for developing drugs for neglected patients

Ruling year info

2007

Director DNDi North America

Delali Attipoe

Main address

40 Rector Street 16th Floor

New York, NY 10006 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

20-8774179

NTEE code info

Diseases, Disorders, Medical Disciplines N.E.C. (G99)

Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (H05)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Millions of people around the world die every year from lack of treatment. Yet only a fraction of the world’s pharmaceutical research and development focuses on diseases affecting poor and vulnerable communities. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) was created as a response to the frustration of clinicians and the desperation of patients faced with medicines that were ineffective, highly toxic, unavailable, unaffordable – or that had never been developed at all. The root of the problem? The prevailing profit-oriented model for medical research and development (R&D) leaves little incentive to develop drugs for the poorest and most vulnerable communities

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Sleeping sickness

DNDi and our partners are working to deliver breakthrough treatments and expedite access to eliminate sleeping sickness for good. Our current goal is to finalize the development of acoziborole, an all-new, single-dose oral drug that can be given at the point of care, opening the possibility of simplified test-and-treat approaches in primary healthcare settings. At the same time, we are continuing work to ensure broad access to fexinidazole for sleeping sickness caused by the parasites T.b. gambiense and T.b. rhodesiense, the more acute, less common form of the disease.

Population(s) Served
Adults
People with diseases and illnesses
Pregnant people
People with disabilities
Women and girls

DNDi and our partners are working to deliver safer, simpler treatments to save lives, reduce social stigma, and eliminate leishmaniasis as a public health problem. In the short term, we aim to build on our successes in delivering safer, shorter treatments with existing drugs. To bring prompt diagnosis and treatment closer to patients and help facilitate sustainable disease elimination, our longer-term goal is to develop all-new treatments with new chemical entities that are safe, effective, and easier to manage at the primary healthcare level.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Ethnic and racial groups
People with diseases and illnesses
People with disabilities
Economically disadvantaged people

DNDi and our partners are searching for shorter, safer, more effective treatments to stop a silent killer. In the short term, we are working to develop improved treatment regimens with the existing drug benznidazole, reduce mother-to-child transmission, and help roll out test-and-treat strategies to reach people living with Chagas disease in remote areas of Latin America. Our longer-term goal is to discover and develop entirely new drug candidates, with the aim of launching at least one Phase III trial by 2028.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Women and girls
At-risk youth
Children and youth
Adults

DNDi and our partners are working to develop a first-ever cure for millions at risk. Our goal is to advance the development of new drug candidates, complete Phase II clinical trials, and launch a Phase III confirmatory trial that we hope will result in new treatment options not only for onchocerciasis but also for a range of filarial diseases.

Population(s) Served
People with disabilities

DNDi and our partners are working to tackle the urgent need for treatments that can prevent progression to severe disease. Collaborating with leading public health institutes in the Dengue Alliance, our goal is to accelerate innovation to deliver an affordable and accessible dengue treatment solution, complete our assessment of the burden of dengue in Africa, and identify biomarkers that can accurately predict progression to severe disease.

Population(s) Served
Adults
People with disabilities

DNDi and our partners are working to develop safe, affordable treatments to prevent devastating amputation and disability and to improve access for all people in need. With evidence from our Phase II trial showing the efficacy of treatment with itraconazole and fosravuconazole, the latter having practical advantages, we are now working to help facilitate access to the two treatments and close epidemiological knowledge gaps in key endemic countries.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Awards

Next Century Innovators Award 2013

Rockefeller Foundation

Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation 2023

Fundacion Princesa de Asturias

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

DNDi maintains a steadfast commitment to deliver therapeutic solutions for diseases where innovation and access to safe, simple, effective, and affordable treatments are lacking. We aim to have delivered 25 new treatments in our first 25 years.

We will leverage our rich portfolio of drug candidates and broad clinical networks for the NTDs and viral diseases we work on. We will continually assess new opportunities to address patients' unmet needs, exploring the feasibility and best pathways to address diseases with persistent R&D and access gaps, including for pandemic-prone and climate-sensitive diseases. We will foster sustainable solutions in close collaborations with LMIC partners, advance a proactive agenda for maternal and child health and gender-responsive R&D, champion open science and transparency, and advocate for change to support a more equitable R&D ecosystem that ensures access to innovation for all.

We use the power of innovation, open science, partnerships, and advocacy to find solutions to a great injustice: the lack of medicines for life-threatening diseases that disproportionately impact poor and marginalized people.

We innovate to save lives: We develop urgently needed treatments for neglected patients and work to ensure they’re affordable, available, and adapted to the communities who need them.

We foster inclusive and sustainable solutions: We work hand in hand with partners in low- and middle-income
countries to power our progress and strengthen innovation ecosystems that put people’s needs first.

We advocate for change: We speak out for policy change to enable more effective and equitable R&D and access to the fruits of science for all people in need, no matter their income or where they live.

None of the organization's work is possible without the passionate, motivated, and diverse people, spanning public, private, and non-governmental sectors. The people and partners behind the success of DNDi worldwide embody the organization's values in its patient-driven approach, best science and quality for the most neglected, commitment to building partnerships, pragmatism and responsibility, and spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Achievements since 2003:
-13 field-adapted and affordable treatments* delivered for six deadly diseases
-4 clinical research networks created for leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease bringing together 500+ medical and research experts worldwide
-Clinical Research Coalition established for COVID-19 with 900+ members from nearly 100 countries
-Over 7,250 people trained in clinical trial management
-R&D alliances developed with 200+ public and private partners in 40+ countries delivering the best science for the most neglected
-Diverse global team of 230+ staff driving research, partnerships, and advocacy across 9 organizational hubs worldwide
-EUR 767.5 million funding secured to deliver on our mission in addition to EUR 83 million in-kind contributions and collaborative funding
-New organization created with WHO to fight drug-resistant infections: the Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership (GARDP), now an independent organization

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, North America Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, North America Inc.

Board of directors
as of 05/22/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Darin Portnoy

Family Medicine Attending/Teaching Faculty, Residency Program in Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center; former President, Doctors Without Borders USA

Term: 2019 -

John Lawrence

President, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) USA; Staff Pediatric Surgeon, Maimonides Medical Center

Meena Ahamed

Advisory Board Member, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) USA

Shing Chang

Independent Consultant, global health-related drug discovery and development; former Research & Development Director, DNDi

Bennett Shapiro

Partner, PureTech Ventures; former Executive Vice President, Merck

Africa Stewart

President, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) USA

Darin Portnoy

Family Medicine Attending/Teaching Faculty, Residency Program in Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center; former President, Doctors Without Borders USA

Luis Pizarro

Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 5/14/2024
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

No data

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 03/06/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.