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AstraZenecawww.astrazeneca.comGBC Member since June 2006Location: GlobalAt AstraZeneca, we are committed to playing our part in fighting disease in the developing world by using our skills and experience in infection research to find a new treatment for tuberculosis — one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease worldwide. Work at our dedicated research facility in Bangalore, India, is focused on finding new therapies for TB that will act in drug resistant disease and reduce the complexity and/or the duration of treatment. Any new drugs should also be compatible with established TB agents, and appropriate for use with HIV/AIDS therapies. Alongside AstraZeneca’s commitment to finding a new treatment for tuberculosis, we support a range of projects around the world designed to help communities understand the disease — including coinfection with HIV/AIDS — and learn how to combat it. We are proud to be able to play a part in this process, and to use our skills and resources as an international pharmaceutical company in the fight against this devastating disease. For more on AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com For more on our activities around TB, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com/communityproject/160.aspx 
Bayer AGwww.bayer.com (tb treatment info)GBC Member since March 2003Location: GlobalTuberculosis: A new therapy for an old disease In October 2005, Bayer HealthCare and the international product development partnership the Global Alliance for tb Drug Development (TB Alliance) signed an agreement concerning a clinical study program aimed at investigating whether Bayer's antibiotic moxifloxacin (Avalox®) can significantly reduce the current six-month duration of treatment for tuberculosis. About 2,500 tuberculosis patients on four continents will be admitted to the study program. Should the trials prove successful, plans call for the Bayer product to be made available to patients in developing countries at affordable prices. Phase III of the study is scheduled to be completed in 2010. For more information, visit: www.bayer.com/social-responsibility/health-and-social-needs/tuberculosis/page8784.htm www.tballiance.org/bayer.asp 
Becton, Dickinson and Companywww.bd.comGBC Member since August 2003Location: GlobalBD has responded to the needs of those affected by TB by focusing our efforts in four key areas: increasing access to critical technologies, building healthcare capacity, investing in new technologies and volunteerism and philanthropy. BD collaborates with both the private and public sector to create sustainable programs that effectively address this disease. BD developed an improved TB culture method, the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (BD MGIT™) system, which provides diagnostic results within 10 to 14 days. (Traditional culture methods take as long as 40-50 days to yield a result.) Rapid culture and drug susceptibility testing is more important that ever in the face of increasing multi-drug resistance (MDR-TB) and even extensive drug resistance (XDR-TB), which is virtually untreatable. BD entered into an agreement with the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to improve diagnosis of TB, especially in HIV positive patients. This collaboration established demonstration sites in Africa, Eastern Europe, Brazil and Asia to introduce advanced culture technology at the district hospital level. In 2006 BD formed a new TB Core Team with the primary focus of identifying new technologies to improve TB diagnostics. BD is also an Organizational Partner of the Stop TB Partnership, a function of the World Health Organization. 
Eli Lilly and Companyhttp://www.lilly.com/GBC Member since March 2007Location: GlobalLilly MDR-TB Partnership 
GlaxoSmithKlinewww.gsk.comGBC Member since July 2001Location: GlobalGlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is an active member and supporter of the STOP TB Partnership. GSK also partners with the non-profit Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) to help discover new treatments for TB. GSK's Diseases of the Developing World team at Tres Cantos in Spain is leading the company's efforts to find new treatments for TB and to screen the company's existing library of potential medicines for activity against the bacterium that causes TB. GSK has also supported a program to help to identify so-called "biomarkers" in people who may respond to specific treatments, in partnership with Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Such biomarkers can be used to predict whether or not patients will respond quickly to treatment or if TB is likely to recur. As with many diseases, the best approach to preventing TB is through a vaccination program to combat the disease. GSK is also developing such a vaccine as part of its commitment to tackling diseases of the developing world. 
JN International Medical Corporationwww.jnii-usa-bharat.comGBC Member since January 2006Location: Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leon, Togo, Burkina Faso, C?te d'Ivoire, Malaysia, India, and BoliviaThe United States-based JN-International Medical Corporation opened its first overseas branch in 2005 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and later in 2006 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Operating in Africa enables the company to more efficiently store and distribute many of its products. By February 2007, the company plans to supply two million diagnostic tests for Malaria and TB to West Africa. Tuberculosis: The Tuberculosis epidemic is increasing the spread of multidrug-resistant strains of TB, which kills some 1,500 Africans every day. MDR-TB rates are rising in both Africa and parts of Eastern Europe. Africa is particularly hit because of co-infections with HIV and a lack of health infrastructure to monitor and treat the disease. Despite commendable efforts by countries and partners to control tuberculosis, their impact has not been significant and the epidemic has now reached unprecedented proportions. TB Rapid Diagnostic: In 2002 JN developed a rapid diagnostic test for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Most standard tests for the detection of Tuberculosis, such as skin tests, X-rays, and DNA techniques, are expensive and time consuming. JN was able to design a test that was ideal for in-the-field diagnosis of Tuberculosis. It is an affordable, accurate, and easy to use immunochromatographic serological assay for the rapid detection of tuberculosis and multi drug-resistant tuberculosis. The TB test showed to be highly effective, with a sensitivity of 99.52% and a specificity of 99.42%. These results, published in Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (2002), show that JN's TB rapid diagnostic tests are an important tool in the first-line testing of suspected TB cases in the field. These tests have been used throughout the world, in locales that include India, South America, and Africa. TB Vaccine: Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of infectious disease-related mortality worldwide, and vaccines have been the primary preventive therapy for many decades. Currently, Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), an attenuated live bacteria, is the only approved tuberculosis vaccine available. BCG vaccination has variable success in preventing acute tuberculosis infection and after the emergence of Multi Drug Resistant TB strains ((MDR TB), prompting the search for new methods of vaccination. JN has also initiated research on developing an inexpensive DNA vaccine against Tuberculosis that can protect from M. tuberculosis (MDR TB) strains. Initial research on the vaccine done on animals indicates that this vaccine may not only prevent TB but also be effective against MDR TB. Much research remains to be done on this topic, but the scientists at JN remain dedicated to preventing infectious disease throughout the world. More information about this vaccine and JN's other vaccines can be found at www.jn-vaccines.org and Diagnostics web site at www.jnii-usa-bharat.com. 
Metropolitanwww.metropolitan.co.zaGBC Member since May 2002Location: South AfricaLIVE THE FUTURE: A MODEL TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES OF HIV AND AIDS IN SOUTH AFRICA "How will HIV and AIDS and our responses shape the future of South Africa by 2025?" That is the question we asked when developing the Live the Future scenarios. This question was prompted by a concern that despite an increase in effort and in the commitments by individuals and different sectors in managing the devastating effects of a widespread HIV and AIDS epidemic in South Africa, the response remains fragmented, with significant gaps in many areas. The Live the Future model aims to mobilise individuals and groups with a view to drawing together and further intensifying efforts to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. Live the Future depicts four scenarios, which reflect on the interrelationship between a wide range of aspects including socio-economic, psychosocial, infrastructural, legal, environmental and political issues. These scenarios describe how South Africa could look by 2025 depending on the level of action we take or do not take going forward. We strongly believe that South Africa has the resources, drive and quality of leadership across all sectors to turn the tide on the HIV epidemic. We believe that every individual is a leader in her/his own right, and as such everyone can play a role. To achieve the Summer for All People scenario, where everyone can reap the benefits of economic prosperity and social collaboration, we need 'leadership by all, at all levels'. The Live the Future — Information Pack comprises a rich set of information on the different scenarios, as well as information that can assist with creating a shared understanding of the factors driving the epidemic and the efforts needed to minimise the effects. The Information Pack contains the following:
We hope that the scenarios depicted and the information contained in the Live the Future — Information Pack will change mindsets — that South Africans will gain hope and dare to dream of a generation free of HIV and AIDS. Join us in 'living this dream' by taking the necessary action to shape South Africa's future in areas where you have influence, i.e. in your personal life, in your community and in your work or professional capacity. We invite contributions, discussion and proposals on what action must be taken now to shape our future. Together we can beat HIV and AIDS. 
Virgin Unitewww.virginunite.comGBC Member since March 2004Location: South Africa and NigeriaVirgin Unite has launched a new project targeting TB and Malaria in Africa: South Africa — Bhubezi Community Health Center (HIV, Malaria & TB) The US Government, Virgin Unite, Anglo Coal and the Ndlovu Medical Centre have joined forces in a public-private partnership to build a community health centre adjacent to the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. The vision is to mitigate the effect of HIV/AIDS, which is at pandemic proportions in South Africa, and prevent the devastating impact of TB and Malaria on the community. Through this co-investment scheme, partners are pouring a collective R50 million into creating a 'one-stop health care centre' that will bring free treatment to the community for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. It will bring doctors, x-ray, pharmacy and laboratory services right into the community and will work together with and in support of neighboring Government clinics. The clinic was launched on 27 October 2006 with Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Unite, the US Ambassador to SA Eric Bost, the CEO of Anglo Coal Ben Magara, and the executive Mayor of Bushbuckridge Councillor Milton Morema. To learn more about the clinic click here to download the press release [.pdf - 28kb] |
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