The establishment of Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) has set a milestone in international research into neglected poverty diseases. PDPs unite the commitment of the public sector for global public health supplies with the expertise and the entrepreneurial mission of the private sector. PDPs are non-profit organisations established to advance research and development with the objective to rapidly provide solutions in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected diseases. Other than in traditional research, PDPs are much more flexible in their use of funds - funds from individual projects may be shifted and used where they are needed. Moreover, the public private partnerships work cost efficiently and, due to the collaboration, the products require a shorter time to market.

DSW is committed to promoting an improvement of the health situation of people in developing countries and the provision of funding for PDPs through the German government as an integral part of an efficient R&D policy to achieve the MDGs. One of the objectives of the PDPs is to offer tested medication in developing countries at the lowest possible price. There are different ways to achieve this: a waiver of patent rights, price fixing arrangements or so-called technology transfers. For about ten years, PDPs have successfully contributed to the advancement of research and product development.

DSW closely cooperates with several PDPs, like the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) and the Program for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH).