New public-private partnership to develop a treatment for schistosomiasis-infected pre-school children

A newly established international public-private partnership (PPP) between the Dutch non-profit organization TI Pharma, Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE, Japan’s Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (TPH) has been launched to develop a new pediatric formulation of praziquantel to combat schistosomiasis - commonly known as bilharzia - in pre-school children.

Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease caused by parasitic worms. Globally, more than 200 million people are infected and would require treatment, mainly in developing countries with limited access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Treatment currently focuses on adults and school-aged children, but many pre-school children are also infected. If not treated properly, the parasitic disease results in high morbidity involving anemia, stunting and reduced learning ability. In some cases, it can also be fatal. In terms of impact, this disease is second to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease in sub-Saharan Africa.