Managing the project portfolio

MMV uses a novel and meticulous process of project selection and review in order to develop high-quality, affordable drugs. The Expert Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) is one of MMV’s key strengths. Set up as an advisory committee to provide expert advice to the MMV Executive Management Group, its members are experts from both industry and academia, covering the full range of expertise required to assess projects that are engaging in the extremely complex process of drug research and development.

ESAC plays a critical role in the selection of new projects including those that emerge from MMV’s annual call for proposals. ESAC also reviews all R & D projects once a year, comments on the scientific and medical rationale, and provides mentorship for projects where needed. MMV routinely measures itself against industry standards recorded for anti-infective medicines, by comparing with CMR benchmarks (Centre for Medicines Research, UK). Projects that fall significantly behind the well-documented industry timelines are likely to be recommended for termination by ESAC.  Before the termination of a project, ESAC will recommend a wide series of corrective actions to be undertaken. 

As projects advance through the various steps of the R & D process, MMV continues to closely monitor progress and to solicit expert advice at major project milestones:

MMV’s Global Safety Board (GSB) was instituted in 2009 and is mandated to conduct a review on projects that are progressing to the use of a drug for the first time in humans, and at other clinical milestones.