A leading UK university has reacted with bemusement to criticism from Medecins Sans Frontieres about a report it has published regarding the financing of future research at a time when innovative drugmakers are struggling to get what they perceive are fair prices for their therapies.

Despite increased investment of nearly $443.7 million in neglected disease R&D between 2007 and 2011, too much of the cash is going on basic research rather than developing desperately-needed drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for the world’s poor.