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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2021–2030 road map for neglected tropical diseases is an ambitious manifesto aimed at the elimination of many NTDs. The goal of eliminating NTDs and ending tuberculosis as a public health problem are integral parts of almost all of WHO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and are central to SDG 3: ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ and specifically Target 3.3: ‘By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.’
Neglected diseases, primarily endemic in low- and middle-income countries, are devastating. They affect not just the individual, but also the communities and countries in which the diseases are prevalent. Many people outside of the global public health community are unaware of just how significant many of these diseases are and how difficult it is to get available and affordable medicines to those most in need to treat these diseases. We are working to amend this issue.
Prevalence data adapted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019, IHME
Tuberculosis
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetes mellitus
Roundworm infection
Whipworm infection
Scabies
Hookworm infection
Lymphatic filariasis
Breast cancer
River blindness
Leprosy
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Due to the disproportionate impact of neglected tropical diseases and tuberculosis in the most disadvantaged communities, private for-profit product developers have historically had little incentive to develop solutions to mount a sufficient and robust response. For decades, product development remained stagnant for many of these diseases due to a lack of lucrative markets. In recent years, however, we have witnessed hepatitis C becoming curable and HIV/AIDS becoming manageable in some countries because of new and affordable medicines. We believe that developing new and improved treatments for neglected diseases will make a lasting difference.
Our program to develop moxidectin for the treatment of river blindness (onchocerciasis) picked up on one started by WHO/TDR in collaboration with Wyeth in the late 1990s. Despite their incredible efforts, the program had been stalled and an effective treatment for this disease was being underutilised. We achieved FDA approval for moxidectin as a treatment for river blindness and have now made great strides toward implementing community-directed treatment. We have also licensed CC-11050 (AMG 634) from Amgen. With these two medicines, we are targeting seven different diseases that collectively have a global prevalence of approximately three billion cases. Read the story behind the 'AKKA' embossed on moxidectin tablets.
Primarily affecting the lungs, tuberculosis remains the leading cause of infectious death worldwide.
A debilitating and disfiguring disease found in 31 African countries and beyond.
An infectious skin condition affecting more than 200 million people at any one time.
A painful and debilitating disease of the lymph system affecting over 50 million people at any one time.
A soil-transmitted infection affecting up to 100 million people, particularly children.
A chronic infectious disease which may cause skin lesions and nerve damage found in 127 countries.
Among the most common of all infections with an estimated 1.5 billion people infected worldwide.
Our model enables a focus on developing and delivering medicines to those most in need while maintaining self-determination as a not-for-profit company. We identify and integrate the necessary expertise from each part of the development pathway at the time that expertise is needed, remaining resource-efficient and cost-effective, and reducing the time and expense of bringing medicines through development.
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MDGH respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which our office is located, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.