LONDON, November 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- -The First Public-Private Partnership to be Established Between WHO and a Japanese Pharmaceutical Company to Overcome the Impact of a Neglected Tropical Disease in Developing Countries
Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that it has signed a statement of intent with the World Health Organization (WHO) to supply free of charge of a primary medicine for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis. The statement was signed by Mr. Haruo Naito, Eisai President and CEO, and Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. This is the first time a Japanese pharmaceutical company has established a partnership with WHO in an effort to combat the global health issue of neglected tropical diseases.
In the statement of intent, Eisai agreed to produce and supply to WHO free of charge up to 2.2 billion 100 mg tablets of diethylcarbamazine (generic name, "DEC"), a medicine used to treat lymphatic filariasis, in accordance with the high quality standards of WHO, over a six year period between 2012 and 2017. This is in line with WHO's forecast for the number of DEC tablets needed to help eliminate filariasis in epidemic countries over this period. Production of the medicine is planned at Eisai's Vizag Plant in India. Eisai is working with WHO to finalize details of this program with the aim of executing an official contract with WHO in the near future.
"Eisai's commitment to provide DEC greatly improves prospects for interrupting the transmission of lymphatic filariasis," said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. "This contribution will eventually close the gap in drug availability, particularly for poor countries where most cases of this disease occur and the burden on health and society is greatest."
Lymphatic filariasis can be treated with a combination of two out of three anti-parasitic agents, one of which is DEC. Research has shown that large-scale interventions in which all inhabitants of endemic areas are administered DEC once a year for at least five years is effective in eliminating the disease. Despite this, the current insufficient supply of DEC has hindered global elimination efforts. As a global pharmaceutical company committed to improving health of all individuals worldwide, Eisai has decided to manufacture and supply DEC free of charge to WHO.
Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito. Once transmitted, it causes lymphatic dysfunction that leads to other serious physical disabilities such as elephantiasis, a severe condition in which a patient's lower extremities swell up to resemble those of an elephant.(1) Japan succeeded in eradicating lymphatic filariasis in the late 1970s as a result of initiatives(2) carried out by the government in partnership with the public-private sector and became the first country in the world to demonstrate the successful achievement of lymphatic filariasis eradication using DEC. Currently, the disease still affects an estimated 120 million people in 81 countries worldwide, most of whom live in developing and emerging nations in Africa and South East Asia. Lymphatic filariasis is a severe and debilitating infectious disease with heavy economic costs, immobility and billions of dollars in lost productivity in endemic countries.(3)
As a human health care (hhc) company, Eisai remains committed to proactively taking measures to help solve global health and health care problems such as neglected tropical diseases and access to medicines, and will continue to make further contributions to increasing the benefits provided to patients and their families worldwide.
About Eisai
Eisai concentrates its R&D activities in three key areas:
- Integrative Neuroscience, including: Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, epilepsy, depression - Integrative Oncology, including: anticancer therapies; vaccines, tumour regression, tumour suppression, antibodies and supportive cancer therapies; pain relief, nausea - Vascular/Immunological reaction, including: acute coronary syndrome, atherothrombotic disease, severe sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease
Eisai Co., Ltd. is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide health care system. Eisai employs approximately 11,000 employees worldwide.
For further information, please visit http://www.eisai.co.jp.
In Europe, Eisai undertakes sales and marketing operations in over 20 markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Iceland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.
References
1. WHO. Lymphatic Filariasis - background WHO Website (accessed 17 Nov 2010) 2010;http://www.who.int/lymphatic_filariasis/en/: 1
2. Ichimori. LF Elimination in PacAEF following Japanese Elimination Trends in Parasitology 2006;23: 36
3. World Health Organisation. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Summary WHO Website (accessed 17 Nov 2010) 2010;http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/2010report/N: 1
Images are available upon request.
SOURCE: Eisai Europe Limited
CONTACT: Media Inquiries, Eisai Europe Ltd, Cressida Robson,+44-7908-314-155, Cressida_Robson@eisai.net
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