US-based nonprofit, Cures Within Reach (CWR), has extended its partnership with Open Philanthropy to fund 16 more clinical trials in low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) over the next two years.
The renewed partnership aims to explore affordable treatments using existing medicines, nutraceuticals, and indigenous remedies.
President and CEO of CWR, Barbara Goodman, in a statement said, “Our partnership with Open Philanthropy furthers our commitment to investing in transformative research initiatives that benefit patients in LMICs and strengthen local healthcare infrastructure by empowering LMIC-based clinicians and researchers.
READ ALSO: Inside Nigeria’s diabetes crisis: Lifestyle, genetics fuel epidemic
“By funding critical clinical trials and fostering innovation where it’s needed most, we are accelerating the research of existing medicines for use in difficult-to-treat disease in underserved populations while building sustainable research capacity. This approach ensures that medical innovations are developed with and for the communities they aim to serve.”
In 2023, CWR funded Phase 1 trial in Kenya that treated snakebites with unithiol, led by Professor Mangal Hamaluba at KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme.
The success of the trial helped secure a $5.4 million grant to launch a Phase 2B clinical trial in Brazil and Ghana.
The trial will further test two inexpensive oral treatments—unithiol and marimastat—that could save lives in rural settings where snakebites are often fatal.
Hamaluba praised CWR’s support, saying, “We are grateful for Cures Within Reach’s support for our Phase 1 trial that provided critical evidence to support further research in a Phase 2B trial.
“This support has significantly accelerated the development of a promising repurposed therapy that could change how we treat snakebite in rural settings where most snakebites occur. The compound we’re studying, which has already proven safe in other clinical applications, is a perfect example of how repurposing can offer cost-effective solutions to address global health challenges.”
With funding from Open Philanthropy, the next 16 clinical trials will also prioritise community engagement by partnering with trusted local organisations to deliver the research outcomes to patients.
Programme Officer for Open Philanthropy, Ray Kennedy added, “The complex health challenges facing low- and middle-income countries demand sustained, coordinated investment from the global giving community.
“By working with Cures Within Reach to fund locally led medical research and strengthen research capacity in these regions, we can create a more equitable global health ecosystem. Our experience shows that when we empower researchers and clinicians in their own communities, we not only accelerate medical breakthroughs but also build a research infrastructure to serve historically underserved populations and ensuring that medical innovation truly works for everyone.”
In October, CWR announced six new clinical trials set for 2025, expanding its LMIC research portfolio to 19 studies.
Among the new trials, two will be held in Nigeria. At the University of Lagos, a study will explore the potential of a skin cancer drug in treating high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, a condition that can progress to cervical cancer.
Meanwhile, at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, researchers will investigate the effectiveness of Metformin, a diabetes medication, in promoting weight loss among non-diabetic obese Nigerians.
Additional studies will br held in Malawi, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Mali.
In Malawi, the focus will be on using Xylitol to prevent premature births.
In Bangladesh, a combination therapy for helminthiasis in children will be tested at the International Center for Diarrheal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, while in Kenya, the aim is to repurpose Lactoferrin and Lysozyme to address environmental enteric dysfunction taking place at KEMRI – Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Lastly, in Mali, a trial will compare two treatments for malaria at the University of Science, Technology, and Engineering of Bamako.
