Sunday, August 17, represents National Nonprofit Day, a time to recognize the profound impact that nonprofit organizations have on the people they serve and progress they inspire around the world. At Critical Path Institute® (C-Path), we’re proud to join this celebration—not just to reflect on our journey as a nonprofit advancing regulatory science, but to spotlight the powerful collaborations with fellow nonprofits that fuel our mission to improve global health.
C-Path: Two Decades of Driving Innovation in Regulatory Science
Founded in 2005 by the renowned clinical scientist and regulatory science innovator Dr. Ray Woosley, C-Path was born out of the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative—a call to modernize and accelerate the development of medical products.
As a mission-driven nonprofit, C-Path has spent the last 20 years at the intersection of science, data, and collaboration, bringing together diverse partners—regulators, academia, industry, patient advocates and nonprofits—to solve the most pressing challenges in drug development. With over 20 public-private partnerships, or consortia, we enable the development and qualification of tools, models, and methods that de-risk decision-making across therapeutic areas, from rare diseases and pediatrics to neuroscience and infectious disease.
Our nonprofit status isn’t just a designation—it’s a driver of our ability to remain independent, trusted, and focused on the public good. It enables us to act as the industry’s neutral convener and is how we foster pre-competitive data sharing and collaboration to ensure that innovation reaches patients faster and more safely.
Collaborating for Impact: The Power of Nonprofit Partnerships
At the core of C-Path’s success is our belief that no single organization can advance medical innovation alone. Our partnerships with other nonprofits—patient advocacy groups, foundations, global health organizations, and disease-specific research alliances—are essential in shaping science that is meaningful, inclusive, and patient-centered.
Together, we:
- Enable data sharing across borders and organizations, unlocking insights that would not be possible in isolation.
- Advance regulatory-endorsed tools accelerate drug development.
- Elevate the voice of people in need, through strategic alliances with patient advocacy groups and those with lived experience.
- Build global coalitions to address public health needs, from tuberculosis Alzheimer’s to countless rare and pediatric diseases.
These collaborations are more than cooperative—they are essential. They allow us to co-create solutions that drive lasting change in the way therapies are developed and delivered.
Looking Ahead: A Future Fueled by Our Mission
As we commemorate National Nonprofit Day, we reaffirm our commitment to leveraging the strength of the nonprofit model to drive scientific breakthroughs and improve lives worldwide. At C-Path, our mission remains clear: to lead collaborations that advance regulatory science and accelerate medical innovation.
We are grateful to our nonprofit partners and global collaborators who walk alongside us on this journey. Together, we’re not just imagining a better future for people in need of therapeutic breakthroughs—we’re building it.
Discover the inspiring nonprofit partners helping drive meaningful change—view the full list here.
