Umthombo 4 - Magazine - Page 6

Millions donated to drug discovery

University of Cape Town (UCT) alumnus and former chairman and chief
executive of Coca-Cola Neville Isdell has donated USD1 242 160 (about
ZAR18 million) towards research into the discovery of new medicines for
infectious diseases at UCT’s Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D).
4
I am excited
about playing
a part in helping
to achieve African
solutions to public
health challenges
on the continent and
across the world.
of variability in drug response across
African populations, which is mostly
driven by genetic differences in the
expression and activity of drugmetabolising enzymes.
“In addition to providing useful
data for targeted clinical trial design,
and eventually for the establishment
of better directed drug dosage and
dosage intervals, the African Liver
Project will also make H3D a unique
centre of excellence where scientists
from the global north and Africa
will work hand in hand to better
understand genetic variability in
diverse African populations,” Chibale
explained.
“H3D will need sustainable funding
at critical mass if it is to succeed.
Should H3D continue to be successful,
it could result in the beginning of a
home-grown pharmaceutical R&D
industry that would focus on the unmet
medical needs of African populations
and create high-skilled jobs for African
scientists.”
PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK
he generous donation will
be used to establish an
initial five-year Neville Isdell
Chair in African-centric Drug
Discovery and Development
at H3D. H3D’s director and founder
Professor Kelly Chibale will hold the
Chair, which includes the directorship
of H3D.
Through the donation, Isdell, who
took the world’s largest beverage
company to new heights during his
tenure, will support solution-orientated
research to create life-saving health
innovations.
“I am excited about playing a part
in helping to achieve African solutions
to public health challenges on the
continent and across the world. I hope
this support will help Professor Chibale
to drive and lead innovative research
& development (R&D) of new malaria
medicines, as well as new tuberculosis
(TB) and antimicrobial resistance
treatments, and train a new generation
of African scientists with key modern
pharmaceutical skills required to
discover modern medicines,” Isdell
said.
The donation will be used partly
to lead efforts in establishing the
H3D African Drug Metabolism and
Disposition Project, also known as
the H3D “African Liver Project”. This
will focus on addressing the issue

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