CANBERRA — Seattle-based BIO Ventures for Global Health is one of the many partners supporting the delivery of Australia’s aid program. Established in 2004 with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Biotechnology Industry Organization, its mission is to solve global health issues by forming connections between people, resources, and ideas. The organization connects scientists and researchers from low- and middle-income countries with private pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life science companies.
Through the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Re:Search program, BVGH is achieving its goals by establishing sustainable partnerships to facilitate the development of new medicines and technologies to fight neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and tuberculosis. It is through this global initiative that Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade became aware of BVGH and its potential to support Australian aid objectives.
“Through WIPO Re:Search we coordinate specific capacity building where BVGH matches scientists from low- and middle-income countries research institutes with both private industries — pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies — as well as academic organizations,” BVGH President Jennifer Dent, told Devex.