Medicine in Need

Medicine in Need (MEND) was a non-profit biotechnology organization dedicated to developing and delivering affordable vaccines and therapies for diseases of poverty, with a primary focus on tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. Founded by Harvard professor David Edwards and colleagues, the organization leveraged advanced drug delivery technologies, particularly high-dose inhaled dry powder formulations, to create treatments that were stable in tropical climates and easy to administer. MEND operated as a Product Development Partnership (PDP), collaborating with academic institutions, international agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical application in resource-limited settings. The organization maintained a global presence with offices in the United States, France, and South Africa to facilitate clinical trials and local manufacturing partnerships. Although the organization is no longer active, its work significantly advanced the field of inhaled therapies for infectious diseases in developing nations.