Synergistic Strategies to Accelerate the Development of Function-Promoting Therapies: Lessons From Operation Warp Speed and Oncology Drug Development

BACKGROUND

Functional limitations and physical disabilities associated with aging and chronic disease are major concerns for human societies and expeditious development of function-promoting therapies is a public health priority.

METHODS

Expert panel discussion.

RESULTS

The remarkable success of Operation Warp Speed for the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 therapeutics, and of oncology drug development programs over the past decade have taught us that complex public health problems such as the development of function-promoting therapies will require collaboration among many stakeholders, including academic investigators, the National Institutes of Health, professional societies, patients and patient advocacy organizations, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

CONCLUSIONS

There was agreement that the success of well designed, adequately powered clinical trials will require careful definitions of indication/s, study population, and patient-important endpoints that can be reliably measured using validated instruments, commensurate resource allocation, and versatile organizational structures such as those used in Operation Warp Speed.

Modelling the value of innovative treatments for Alzheimer's disease in the United States

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the predominant cause of dementia and a leading cause of death globally. With no cure or treatment to slow disease progression, AD-related healthcare costs are substantial and increase as the severity of the disease progresses. Given the complexity of this disease, including initial pathophysiological damage occurring decades before clinical manifestation, finding new impactful treatments for AD relies on highly innovative research and development. However, such sizable and sustained investments bring into question whether conventional value assessment models are fit for this purpose. In this article, we examine the importance and challenges of assimilating the perspectives of varied stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, health systems, payers, and society at large, into a comprehensive value assessment model that may be well suited for a breakthrough treatment for AD.