Eisai Enters Into Agreement to Support International Ngo Association for Aid and Relief, Japan’s Activities in Sudan

New Delhi, February 28, 2019: Eisai Co., Ltd. has entered an agreement to support the international non-governmental organization Association for Aid and Relief, Japan’s program to raise awareness of mycetoma in Sudan.

Mycetoma is an infectious disease often seen in tropical and subtropical regions such as in the African continent, and since there is a lack of basic information on the disease including its transmission pathway and incidence, it is said to be one of the most neglected tropical diseases. Currently, disease countermeasures and research are being carried out in Sudan, which is one of the countries where the disease is most prevalent. While the transmission pathway is not well known, in general it is thought that people become infected with the pathogenic bacteria through pricks to the skin by walking barefoot over the thorns of contaminated plants. The primary symptoms of the disease are large lesions that appear on the hands and feet, and if the disease progresses it becomes difficult to walk and work, which leads to social issues such as poverty and prejudice, as well as economic losses in endemic areas.

AAR Japan conducts awareness raising activities in Sudan that communicate knowledge on the disease and the importance of early treatment among mycetoma patients, their families, community residents as well as institutions and associations that are tackling mycetoma, and promotes early diagnosis and treatment at medical institutions. In addition, in order to treat mycetoma patients in remote areas, AAR Japan dispatches medical teams via the Khartoum University Mycetoma Research Center (MRC) located in Sudan’s capital. Under this agreement, Eisai will support these activities led by AAR Japan in Sudan, and commission AAR Japan to conduct surveys on the actual condition of patients to promote early diagnosis and early treatment of mycetoma patients.

Eisai commenced its efforts to develop a new treatment for mycetoma in 2015. Together with the not-for-profit research and development organization Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), Eisai has been jointly developing its anti-fungal agent fosravuconazole (E1224) as a novel treatment for mycetoma. The associated clinical study is being conducted at the MRC in Sudan.

Under its hhc philosophy, Eisai seeks to contribute to the health and welfare of people in developing and emerging countries. Once they have recovered their health, they can resume productive activities, which will in turn contribute to economic development and expansion of the middle-income class. Eisai considers this to be a long term investment in creating the markets of the future. By accelerating the development of new medicines for infectious diseases endemic in developing and emerging countries via leveraging partnerships, together with implementing activities to improve access to medicines including raising disease awareness locally and implementing price setting models that take income levels into account, Eisai strives to further contribute to increasing the benefits for patients and their families worldwide.

Corporate Comm India(CCI NewsWire)