For the first time, global funding for neglected disease R&D grew for three consecutive years, reaching a record high of more than US$4.05 billion in 2018.
This is according to the 12th annual G-FINDER report, which has been launched recently in Brussels by Policy Cures Research.
Across all LMIC funders - including India - investments remain well above pre-2017 levels. In keeping with trends from previous years, India ($66m, 70%), South Africa ($13m, 14%) and Brazil ($12m, 12%) comprised 96% of funding from LMICs.
The Indian government is the fourth largest funder for research and development into neglected tropical diseases.
The top public funding agencies into R&D on neglected diseases in India are the ICMR, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)
The "big three" neglected diseases - HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis - saw increased investments, even as their global share dropped marginally to 69% ($2.79b) in 2018.
Other diseases, such as hepatitis C (up to $30m) and bacterial pneumonia and meningitis (up to $16m) also saw significant bumps in funding.
The annual G-FINDER report provides policy-makers, donors, researchers, and industry with a comprehensive analysis of global investment into research and development (R&D) of new products to prevent, diagnose, control, or cure neglected diseases in developing countries.
The survey looks at funding for a number of diseases like trachoma, Buruli ulcer, rheumatic fever, meningitis, leptospirosis and also for HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, dengue, hepatitis C and leprosy.
It examines funding from government sources, philanthropies, private sector funding and other types of organizations.