French drugmaker sanofi-aventis has signed a new five-year US$25m (€18m) agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to control neglected tropical diseases.
Sanofi’s collaboration with the WHO began in 2001 to battle neglected tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness, Leishmaniasis, Buruli ulcer and Chagas disease. The total financial contribution now amounts to $75m. This new donation includes medicines, as well as funding for professional training, disease awareness campaigns, logistics and infrastructure.
‘This third, five-year commitment by sanofi-aventis comes at a time when prospects for controlling these difficult and dreaded diseases have never looked brighter,’ said Margaret Chan, WHO director-general.
‘In 2009, reported cases of sleeping sickness fell below the 10,000 figure. For the first time, the stage is set for the elimination of sleeping sickness, a prospect that was unthinkable a decade ago.’
Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive of sanofi-aventis, added: ‘In renewing our partnership with the WHO, we look forward to the results we can achieve together to eliminate sleeping sickness on the African continent.’
Since the start of the partnership in 2001, more than 150,000 patients have been treated for sleeping sickness, a fatal disease if left untreated. The number of patients treated for sleeping sickness has dropped by more than 60% since then.
Sanofi’s collaboration with the WHO began in 2001 to battle neglected tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness, Leishmaniasis, Buruli ulcer and Chagas disease. The total financial contribution now amounts to $75m. This new donation includes medicines, as well as funding for professional training, disease awareness campaigns, logistics and infrastructure.
‘This third, five-year commitment by sanofi-aventis comes at a time when prospects for controlling these difficult and dreaded diseases have never looked brighter,’ said Margaret Chan, WHO director-general.
‘In 2009, reported cases of sleeping sickness fell below the 10,000 figure. For the first time, the stage is set for the elimination of sleeping sickness, a prospect that was unthinkable a decade ago.’
Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive of sanofi-aventis, added: ‘In renewing our partnership with the WHO, we look forward to the results we can achieve together to eliminate sleeping sickness on the African continent.’
Since the start of the partnership in 2001, more than 150,000 patients have been treated for sleeping sickness, a fatal disease if left untreated. The number of patients treated for sleeping sickness has dropped by more than 60% since then.
No comments:
Post a Comment