About the Authors

Peter J Hotez

To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mtmpjh@gwumc.edu

David H Molyneux
Alan Fenwick
Eric Ottesen
Sonia Ehrlich Sachs
Jeffrey D Sachs

Competing Interests

PJH is partially supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, United States of America, through Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America. He is an inventor on an international patent application (PCT/US02/33106; filed November 11, 2002) entitled “Hookworm vaccine.” The patent was filed in the United States, Brazil, India, China, and Mexico. If awarded, the patent would belong to The George Washington University, with an exclusive license to the Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute, a nonprofit (501c3) organization devoted to increasing the use of vaccines worldwide. Because hookworm is a neglected disease afflicting the poorest of the poor in developing countries, a hookworm vaccine has no anticipated commercial value or income generating potential. The rationale for filing a patent is to ensure that the vaccine is developed for those who need it in developing countries, and to encourage vaccine manufacturers in developing countries to work with the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute for manufacture of the hookworm vaccine. The first-generation hookworm vaccine, the Na-ASP-2 Hookworm Vaccine, was developed entirely in the nonprofit sector through the Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute. PJH is also Co-chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute (he receives no compensation for this activity), and is a member of the academic advisory board for the Pfizer Postdoctoral Fellowship in Infectious Diseases. DHM is partially supported by the UK Department for International Development and GlaxoSmithKline, London, United Kingdom, and participates in the Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination meetings, which are supported by Merck and Company, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, United States of America, and GlaxoSmithKline, London, United Kingdom. AF is Director of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, which is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, United States of America. EO is supported through the Task Force for Child Survival and Development and the Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; GlaxoSmithKline, London, United Kingdom; the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, Liverpool, United Kingdom. SES declares that she has no competing interests. JDS is partially supported by the UN, New York, New York, United States of America.