Eradicating Tuberculosis
Every second, someone is infected with tuberculosis (TB). Yet, despite the loss of millions of lives, it remains one of the most neglected diseases by pharmaceutical companies due to its lack of commercial potential. Sandoz, together with its parent company Novartis, is taking a stand against TB and is the main provider of TB drugs to the World Health Organization. For example, over the five-year period from 2004, Novartis donated gold-standard TB medicines to the World Health Organization for the treatment of half a million patients. Also, Novartis India is working with the “Global TB Alliance for TB Drug Development” on the development of a new drug for the treatment of TB.
In addition to its fight against TB, Novartis, through the Sandoz production facility in Kalwe, India, has provided free treatments for all leprosy patients since 2000. Furthermore, the Novartis Institute of Tropical Diseases (NITD) in Singapore carries out research and development of novel drugs for the treatment of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue, etc.
