A partnership between the Rockefeller Foundation, the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations and several other organizations is seeking to raise millions to help develop new drugs to fight malaria.

The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) plans to support the fight against malaria -- a disease which kills more than 1 million people a year worldwide -- by helping to discover, develop and commercialize affordable anti-malarial drugs.

According to a Rockefeller Foundation press release, new drugs will be needed as malaria parasites build up a resistance to current drugs. Given the lack of a vaccine, drugs are a major part of any effort to combat malaria. MMV plans to help develop a successful new drug every five years, with the first coming out before 2010.

MMV plans to raise most of the money needed for drug development -- an estimated $150 million -- from government, foundation and philanthropic funders. The group has set a goal of $15 million for next year, then $30 million a year for the three years after that. Pharmaceutical industry contributions will mostly be in the form of donated research expertise and technology.

Three projects have already been selected for support during the discovery phase, and MMV wants to be able to support more through successful fundraising in the next year.

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