News
Lygature’s commitment to fighting Neglected Tropical Diseases
Today, 30 January, on World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls upon the global community to unite, act and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Lygature proudly joins this call and underwrites the need for global unity and action to eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
NTDs, often sidelined in global health discussions, are a diverse group of illnesses affecting over 1 billion people globally in poor and vulnerable communities. On World NTD Day we rally together to call on leaders and communities to commit sustainable funds in support of those facing the challenges of disease and poverty. The annual awareness day highlights the human suffering caused by these diseases and seeks to mobilize assistance for their control and elimination, in line with the goals of the WHO’s NTD road map 2021−2030.
Schistosomiasis
The WHO has classified 21 diseases as NTDs, one of which is schistosomiasis. Also known as bilharzia, schistosomiasis is one the most pervasive parasitic diseases worldwide and has a high public health burden and economic impact. The infection rate is particularly high among children and at present, preschool-age children are left untreated in public health programs due to the lack of a suitable child-friendly treatment.
Lygature plays an important role in the battle against schistosomiasis by coordinating the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium – an international, non-profit, public-private partnership founded in 2012. The first partnership of its kind in schistosomiasis, the Consortium aims to reduce the global disease burden of the disease by addressing the medical needs of children between the ages of three months and six years.
After a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency in 2023, last year the WHO included the consortium’s new pediatric treatment option for preschoolers with schistosomiasis in its list of prequalified medicines. Currently, the consortium is working towards the launch of the pilot implementation studies in which the new treatment will be made available to preschoolers in the first African countries.
Karin de Ruiter, Program Manager at LygatureWe are excited that the first preschool-aged children will be treated in 2025. For the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, these pilots play a vital role in evaluating our treatment’s impact and are crucial steps towards contributing to the elimination of schistosomiasis.
Karin de Ruiter continues: "All of this has come about through successful collaboration between public and private partners in which Lygature, in its role as independent coordinator, has been able to make its mark on the Consortium for the past 13 years."
Global Health Expertise Centre
Besides fighting schistosomiasis in the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, Lygature is involved in more partnerships aimed at tackling other pressing global health challenges, such as tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance.
These partnerships are part of Lygature’s Global Health Expertise Centre. Within the Global Health Expertise Centre, Lygature builds on decades worth of experience in the development of medical and digital health interventions, while ensuring these innovative solutions reach those who need them most.