Worldwide, infectious diseases account for over one-fifth of all deaths, killing - some 17 million people a year.

In many of the poorest countries, infectious diseases are responsible for over half of all mortalities, stunting economic development and trapping entire populations in a vicious circle of disease and poverty.

Pandemic infections can circle the globe in hours, often with devastating effect. An outbreak of H5N1 or  “bird flu” for example, could kill millions, bringing international travel and trade to a grinding halt and triggering a major global recession.

Despite these sobering statistics, few drugs are available to treat these diseases - and even fewer reach those in greatest need.

Between 1975 and 2004, only 1% of new commercial drugs were designed specifically to treat infectious diseases.

A study by the Global Forum for Health Research has concluded that of the US$73 billion invested annually into “global health research”, less than 10% is applied to diseases which represent 90% of the global “disease burden”.

This situation is known as “the 10/90 gap”.

Pandemics pose an immense threat to global social and economic security.

The SARS epidemic of 2003 shocked the world. Spreading from mainland China to all corners of the globe in a matter of weeks, SARS demonstrated how infectious viral diseases are truly an international problem.

The epidemic cost the world an estimated $300 billion—$1 billion in the Toronto regions alone— a forewarning of the disastrous effects a more serious pandemic could cause.