Merck to create global alliance to eliminate schistosomiasis

Published: 20-May-2014

German group wants NTD constituencies to take a coordinated approach to eliminating the worm disease

German drugmaker Merck KgaA has proposed the creation of a global alliance to help the World Health Organization (WHO) achieve its goal of eliminating worm disease schistosomiasis worldwide.

The company said it would be a founding member of this new global alliance.

Merck is calling for different neglected tropical diseases (NTD) constituencies to join the alliance and focus on addressing remaining gaps and challenges to eliminate the disease.

Stefan Oschmann, member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO Pharma, announced this initiative at the 67th World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, in the presence of H.E. Hanny-Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Health of Ghana, and Dr Hiroki Nakatani, Assistant Director-General Neglected Tropical Diseases of WHO.

While other neglected tropical diseases have demonstrated the value of alliances, no alliance for schistosomiasis yet exists.

'We see this initiative as a major development,' said Oschmann. 'This alliance will allow the different constituencies to engage in a coordinated approach to best address the challenges on how to meet the elimination target.'

Merck will work with WHO and partners to define the appropriate structure of this alliance to ensure its pragmatic operational functionality.

'The global alliance is a new opportunity to bring together all interested partners and create a new turning point for the elimination of schistosomiasis,' said Oschmann.

Merck launched the Merck Praziquantel Donation Program in 2007. Praziquantel is well tolerated and the most effective treatment to date for schistosomiasis. Since then, more than 38 million children have been treated and over 160 million tablets have been donated. The company has pledged to raise its annual donation to up to 250 million tablets by 2016.

'Providing the drug praziquantel is only one part of the solution; we therefore recognise the need to go beyond this and foster a holistic, integrated approach to supporting WHO in reaching the ultimate elimination target,' concluded Oschmann.

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