We strongly believe that breakthrough infectious disease treatments should reach the world’s most vulnerable populations, not just those who can afford them. By bridging the gap between scientific innovation and global health equity, we can ensure that life-saving discoveries benefit all of humanity.
Infectious diseases like polio, smallpox, and Guinea worm were nearly eradicated through effective vaccines and treatments. Vaccination programs and antibiotics have dramatically increased child survival rates worldwide, yet investment in products to combat infectious diseases is declining, and new products remain unaffordable for many people.
The pharmaceutical market is driven by business considerations, creating a gap between societal and commercial benefits. This particularly affects:
The lack of investment in impactful infectious disease products is increasing health disparities between rich and poor. Traditional early-phase trials in infectious diseases depend on unpredictable infection rates. This slows progress, increases costs, and often leaves important questions unanswered.
INFECTA is a not-for-profit full-service research organization that conducts accelerated, cost-effective clinical trials, bringing infectious disease products to market faster. We are the engine behind the clinical development of many new infectious disease products in both the private and public sectors.
Our innovative “CHIM-thinking” approach uses Controlled Human Infection Models (CHIMs) and smart trial designs to generate meaningful data faster, with fewer participants under controlled conditions.
Key advantages:
We provide end-to-end support for infectious disease product development:
INFECTA operates on a unique “dual market” principle that makes philanthropic donations exceptionally impactful.
By generating revenue from commercial clients, INFECTA can reinvest profits into developing products with high societal benefits but limited commercial appeal. This creates a sustainable model where:
This approach addresses market failures by creating a self-sustaining organization that can independently invest in products where commercial interest is insufficient.
Founded by leading experts by Prof. Dr. Meta Roestenberg (LUMC) and Dr. Ingrid de Visser (CHDR), combining decades of experience in early-phase drug testing with state-of-the-art academic knowledge. Backed by a strong consortium of university medical centers and a kick-start subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Health.
INFECTA holds the world’s largest CHIM portfolio with secured access to challenge agents.
As part of the InFECT-NL foundation ecosystem we are connecting private and public organizations in the Netherlands. In addition, we have international partnerships with research institutes in India, Zambia, and Uganda.
Our data sharing platform will make all research data publicly accessible, speeding up innovation and enhancing collaboration.
Our expertise focuses on pharmaceutical products for infectious diseases with pandemic potential, addressing critical gaps:
Global Health Impact
Infectious diseases represent one of the most compelling targets for philanthropic investment because they offer unparalleled global reach and impact potential. These diseases have no borders, meaning that stopping their spread can potentially protect millions of people from negative health effects across multiple countries and continents. The burden falls disproportionately on the world’s poorest populations, making infectious disease interventions a powerful tool for addressing global health equity. From a purely economic perspective, new vaccines and medicines for infectious diseases are consistently recognized as the most cost-effective interventions in global public healthcare, delivering exceptional return on investment in terms of lives saved and suffering prevented.
Proven success: Past investments in infectious disease control have eliminated smallpox, nearly eradicated polio, and dramatically improved child survival rates worldwide.
Through partnerships with low- and middle-income countries, INFECTA strengthens research capacity and ensures fair access to cutting-edge tools and knowledge. We are creating a sustainable global network of researchers that spreads evidence-based infectious disease solutions worldwide.
We’re seeking philanthropic partners to accelerate our growth and help us reach profitability faster. As we establish our clinical operations and scale our services, your support shortens the path to financial sustainability. This means we can begin reinvesting commercial margins in research benefiting global health sooner, thereby creating impact that extends far beyond your initial contribution
Your donation to INFECTA creates sustainable change in infectious disease research and development. The impact extends far into the future through our self-sustaining business model that continues generating returns long after your initial investment. It reaches across borders via our international partnerships and capacity building initiatives that strengthen global research capabilities. Most importantly, your contribution goes beyond the initial investment through the multiplier effect of commercial revenue reinvestment, where profits from commercial work continuously fund socially important research that might otherwise never happen.
Traditional philanthropy provides one-time impact. INFECTA donations create a multiplier effect, generating ongoing returns that fund critical research for decades to come.
By supporting INFECTA during our growth phase, you are not just funding research – you are building a sustainable engine for infectious disease innovation that will continue creating impact long after your initial investment.
Contact us to discuss how your philanthropic vision aligns with INFECTA’s mission to bring life-saving infectious disease treatments to those who need them most.
