NEW YORK: It will also drastically reduce the price of the drugs and increase production to supply hotspots around the world. The company said it would cooperate in a global effort with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and Purdue University to increase the number of trained personnel and drugs available to treat the expanding crisis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). "To help fight this global public health concern, Lilly will give manufacturing firms in China, India and South Africa the technology to convert existing facilities in those countries to produce capreomycin and cycloserine, the two antibiotics used to treat MDR-TB," Eli Lilly said in its release. In India and South Africa it will give the technology to produce cycloserine. In China and South Africa, the technology to produce capreomycin. Lilly also is currently pursuing opportunities to convert facilities in Russia for the production of these two drugs. The company's total contribution to this effort is valued at $70 million through 2006. Lilly has made it a condition that those who use its technology to develop the drugs must charge a low price for them in developing and emerging countries. "For the companies receiving this technology, a controlled partner price will provide a margin that can sustain the business, while increasing the global supply of these necessary drugs," the company said. MDR-TB is a type of TB that often develops in patients who do not complete the proper treatment for TB, a situation many TB patients in India face. It is most likely to occur among patients in developing nations where trained medical personnel and drug supplies are limited. Each year, there are roughly 400,000 new cases of MDR-TB in more than 100 countries. The WHO estimates that the average MDR-TB patient infects up to 20 other people in his or her lifetime. "Though little known, MDR-TB represents one of the most severe threats to public health today. Without proper treatment and surveillance now, MDR-TB can easily become a global health emergency in years to come," said David Heymann, M.D., executive director of communicable diseases at the WHO. "Eli Lilly has offered an effective model that leverages the capabilities of organisations best able to ensure the diagnosis, treatment and surveillance of MDR-TB in areas of the world where it is most prevalent and prevent a more widespread outbreak of this dangerous disease. This public-private enterprise represents a new paradigm for addressing global public health problems." Purdue University will assume a significant role in the programme to develop training and provide certification of sound business management and good manufacturing practices for each of the facilities receiving Lilly's drug manufacturing technology. Lilly will give the manufacturing technologies to Purdue to produce cycloserine, serving as a laboratory for that university's international training programme. The company has also committed to making available up to 10 full-time staff members over a four-year period to offer technical assistance and training necessary to complete the technology transfer and ensure the long-term success of the manufacturing partnerships. In addition to the increased supply created by the transfer of manufacturing technology, Lilly will double its bulk production of capreomycin from 0.6 tonnes to 1.2 tonnes at its Liverpool, Britain facility. "Lilly will continue to provide both drugs at a fraction of their cost to WHO-approved MDR-TB DOTS-Plus programmes around the world. The value of this discount is approximately $25 million,
Source: IANS