Combating the tropical disease schistosomiasis

Merck is supporting the UN Millennium Development Goals and Declaration of 2000 to achieve considerable progress by 2015 in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other serious diseases. Essential medicines are to be offered at affordable prices. In 2001, the World Health Assembly – the highest decision-making body of WHO - adopted a resolution to provide regular treatment to at least 75% of school age children who are at risk of morbidity due to helminthic (worm) infections by 2010.

In 2007, Merck entered into a partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat schistosomiasis primarily in African school children. The program is called the Merck-Praziquantel Donation Program (MPDP). Until 2017, Merck will provide free of charge 200 million tablets of Cesol® 600 (active ingredient praziquantel) with a value of approximately US$ 80 million. This will permit the treatment of 27 million children. Schistosomiasis, which is triggered by worms and primarily affects children, is the second-most common tropical disease in Africa after malaria. It causes anemia, stunted growth and leads to learning disabilities. Every year, around 200,000 people die of this insidious disease.

The active ingredient praziquantel is the most effective therapy to date for schistosomiasis infections – often even after just one dose – and it is well tolerated. It is therefore on the WHO list of essential drugs. Praziquantel was jointly developed by Merck and Bayer in the 1970s. The tablets are produced at our facility in Mexico and distributed locally by WHO.