Home Programs Lilly MDR-TB Partnership

Lilly MDR-TB Partnership

The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership exists to save lives by preventing and treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) - a terrible disease that afflicts millions of people in some of the poorest regions of the world. Our partnership takes an innovative approach, drawing on a large group of public and private organizations to bring a comprehensive range of resources, expertise, and services to bear against MDR-TB in ways that are tailored to local circumstances and needs on the ground.

Message from John Lechleiter

Every year, nearly 2 million people die from tuberculosis, a curable disease. Poor adherence to the necessary drug regimen and interrupted treatment are widespread problems in resource-constrained countries. These problems not only keep patients from being cured of the disease but also can lead to multi-drug resistant strains of TB, which require even longer and more complex treatment. Conservative estimates indicate that about 500,000 new cases of MDR-TB arise every year, and that the average person with the disease infects up to 15 other people during his or her lifetime. Clearly, this pandemic requires a massive mobilization of people and resources to address it.

Our partners are private and public healthcare professionals, academics, patient- and community-advocacy groups, international organizations, and producers of medicines in developing regions. We focus in particular on the hardest-hit countries: China, India, Russia, and South Africa. The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership seeks to fight the disease by sharing drug-manufacturing technology with pharmaceutical companies in the regions most at risk; increasing drug supply through the World Health Organization; and providing local training in prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. We also address policy issues with governments in different nations to ensure that sound strategies for MDR-TB management are in place, and to work towards stopping the spread of this disease.

Innovation in the treatment of disease has been Eli Lilly and Company's animating purpose since our founding more than 130 years ago. The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership expands that tradition of innovation to confront a global public-health crisis that no single group, nation, or sector of society can take on by itself. I invite you to browse our information for details on the MDR-TB challenge and our response. Please visit our website for updated information

Adapted with permission from Lilly MDR-TB website February 2009