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Combatting Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis with Harvard Medical School

New Grant to Harvard Medical School to Combat Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

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As part of its ongoing commitment to global public health, Janssen entered into a novel collaboration with Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to address critical gaps in the global struggle against tuberculosis (TB). The grant will support a two-year research, policy and advocacy program to improve access to TB diagnosis and treatment for the world’s most vulnerable communities, with a particular focus on drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and TB in children. This collaboration between Janssen and Harvard exemplifies our mission of advancing global health through innovative research and development, sustainable access for medicines, and productive partnerships to improve the health of individuals and communities, including those most affected by DR-TB.

This new collaboration and financial commitment will focus on stepping up the global response to DR-TB in six critical areas:

  • Leading a group of international, multi-sector partners in developing a scientific strategy that provides a plan for how to end deaths from TB and DR-TB
  • Expanding the scientific and advocacy network of the Sentinel Project on Pediatric Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis to determine the global need for pediatric treatments and improve the quality of care for children with DR-TB
  • Mobilizing communities in high-burden countries through digital and social platforms to stimulate grassroots activism for expanded access to treatments and improved policies targeting DR-TB
  • Informing clinical guidance for DR-TB treatment using novel analytical models and analysis of currently available data to optimize treatment protocols, evaluate outcome rates and improve clinical trial design
  • Fostering innovation in the global supply chain of DR-TB drugs to expand access to high-quality second-line TB drugs
  • Catalyzing the creation of a BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) strategy to fund and implement DR-TB treatment and care delivery by bringing together both BRICS and global policy makers
We have a responsibility to work together with others in the TB community to tackle this challenge.”
Paul Stoffels, M.D.
Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson and Worldwide Chairman of Janssen

“Drug-resistant tuberculosis continues to be a major threat to public health worldwide,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson and Worldwide Chairman of Janssen. “We have a responsibility to work together with others in the TB community to tackle this challenge. We’re very pleased to provide critical support to Harvard Medical School in accelerating the response to this deadly disease. We hope that together, we have the power to ensure that people living with the disease receive the best possible care and treatment they need.”

This collaboration is the latest development in Janssen’s efforts to combat TB. In April 2014, Janssen entered into a novel collaboration with the Stichting International Dispensary Association (IDA), a procurement agent for the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF), to facilitate access. More than 130 low- and middle-income countries outside of the United States are now able to obtain anti-TB medicine through the procurement processes of GDF and its agent, the IDA.

Complementing its collaboration with Harvard Medical School, Janssen provided a grant to the South African Ministry of Health in August 2014, to support capacity building and systems strengthening in the domain of DR-TB. The grant will work to support the efforts of the South African government to reach the 2015 Millennium Development Goal target of eliminating TB.

Read more about Janssen’s fight against TB here.