Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, MMV and Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund signed a memorandum of understanding in Tokyo as a follow up to the May 2013 announcement of the establishment of Japan’s first public-private partnership to address the research of new medicines for diseases of the poor.

Takeda is Japan’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company, with a corporate history of over 230 years and a presence in over 70 countries and regions. The company strives to achieve better health for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine.

MMV is a leading product development partnership (PDP) in the field of antimalarial drug research and development. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria in disease-endemic countries by discovering, developing and facilitating delivery of new, effective and affordable antimalarial drugs.

GHIT Fund, a newly established public-private partnership, aims to reinforce Japan’s contribution to global health by developing new health technologies, using the country’s cutting-edge science and technology capacity.

The three organisations have agreed to collaborate on addressing the growing challenges of malaria through the discovery and development of antimalarial medicines for vulnerable populations worldwide.