Innovative Medicines Initiative
Encyclopedia
The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is a Europe
an initiative to improve the competitive situation of the European Union
in the field of pharmaceutical research. The IMI is a joint initiative (Public-Private Partnership
) of the DG Research
of the European Commission
, representing the European Communities, and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). IMI is laid out as a Joint Technology Initiative within the Seventh Framework Programme.
The Innovative Medicines Initiative is aimed towards removing research
bottlenecks in the current drug development
process. The IMI Joint Technology Initiative (IMI JTI), to be implemented by the IMI Joint Undertaking is meant to address these research bottlenecks. Its €2bn budget makes it the largest biomedical Public-Private Partnership
in the world.
The funding scheme has been critisized, requiring universities to invest more money than with EU FP7 programs. Besides universities losing money on IMI projects, this criticism also discusses that intellectual property is freely flowing to industry.
The Sixth Framework Programme's research projects InnoMed AddNeuroMed and InnoMed PredTox act as pilot projects establishing the feasibility of this particular public-private partnership. Since then, the IMI has had four funding rounds: the first call had the topic Safety, while the second call was about Efficy. Projects for these two calls are ongoing. A full list of projects listed on Wikipedia can be found under Innovative Medicines Initiative projects.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an initiative to improve the competitive situation of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in the field of pharmaceutical research. The IMI is a joint initiative (Public-Private Partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
) of the DG Research
Directorate-General for Research (European Commission)
The Directorate-General for Research or DG Research, located in Brussels, is a Directorate-General of the European Commission.- Mission :The Directorate General’s mission is evolving as work on the European Research Area continues...
of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, representing the European Communities, and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). IMI is laid out as a Joint Technology Initiative within the Seventh Framework Programme.
The Innovative Medicines Initiative is aimed towards removing research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
bottlenecks in the current drug development
Drug development
Drug development is a blanket term used to define the process of bringing a new drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery...
process. The IMI Joint Technology Initiative (IMI JTI), to be implemented by the IMI Joint Undertaking is meant to address these research bottlenecks. Its €2bn budget makes it the largest biomedical Public-Private Partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
in the world.
The funding scheme has been critisized, requiring universities to invest more money than with EU FP7 programs. Besides universities losing money on IMI projects, this criticism also discusses that intellectual property is freely flowing to industry.
The Sixth Framework Programme's research projects InnoMed AddNeuroMed and InnoMed PredTox act as pilot projects establishing the feasibility of this particular public-private partnership. Since then, the IMI has had four funding rounds: the first call had the topic Safety, while the second call was about Efficy. Projects for these two calls are ongoing. A full list of projects listed on Wikipedia can be found under Innovative Medicines Initiative projects.
See also
- European Technology Platform
- Framework Programmes for Research and Technological DevelopmentFramework Programmes for Research and Technological DevelopmentThe Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, also called Framework Programmes or abbreviated FP1 through FP8, are funding programmes created by the European Union in order to support and encourage research in the European Research Area...
- Seventh Framework Programme
- Joint Technology Initiative
- InnoMed PredTox
- The Strategic Research Agenda http://imi.europa.eu/docs/imi-gb-006v2-15022008-research-agenda_en.pdf
External links
- http://imi.europa.eu/index_en.html IMI website
- Innovative Medicines Initiative European Commission website
- Innovative Medicines Initiative EFPIA website