European Parliament - Second Innovative Medicine Initiative gets Parliamentary support

On 24 January the European Parliament's Committee on industry, research and energy (ITRE) adopted the second Innovative Medicine Initiative, IMI2. IMI2 is the second of a public-private partnership between the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), set up with the objective to improve the process of developing new drugs and treatments by supporting cooperation in research and development.

IMI2 will contribute to the fight against the emergence and potential resurgence of infectious diseases, including increased antimicrobial resistance. The first IMI, carried out during  the period 2007-2013, funded 40 projects and developed new therapies for patients. Some 1,500 jobs were created and a budget of €2 billion was dedicated to the project, with one half of the funding coming from the Commission and the other half from EFPIA.

The second initiative, planned for the period 2014-2024,  will have a budget of approximately €3 billion. It will focus on the development of treatments that contribute to lifelong health and well-being, which are expected to gain in importance due to the aging population and rising levels of chronic and degenerative diseases.

 

For more information: http://www.imi.europa.eu/content/imi-2