Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative
In search of cheaper and better treatment
Mutilation and disfiguring scars, leading to social exclusion. Women and children living in deprived areas in particular suffer from the consequences of cutaneous leishmaniosis (CL). This rather unpleasant skin condition is triggered by a parasite through the bite of the sand fly. Current treatment is expensive, painful and fraught with side effects. Is there no better way?
CL is a non-fatal disease, and consequently receives little attention from pharmaceutical companies, research funders and local health organisations, despite the many people suffering from it. There is an estimated total of over 600,000 new cases of CL every year worldwide, including in Africa. Among the newly diagnosed cases, only 200,000 are discovered in time. Their indirect consequences are often severe. Consider job losses or school dropouts. This particularly impacts people who already lack a solid socio-economic base.
Conducting research on the ground
For several years Dioraphte has contributed to the research programme, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), founded in 2003 by French physician Bernard Pécoul. DNDi strives to find lower-cost and widely accessible treatments for neglected tropical diseases, which include CL. It also supports scientists in countries where the diseases are endemic, aiming to develop research capabilities locally.
Starting to make the difference
In the case of CL, for example, there are opportunities available as part of combination treatments involving oral medication (rather than injections) and heat therapy. Or in boosting the innate immune system so that the patient can fight the parasite “from within”. Early successful studies have been completed. They merit a follow-up in order to develop practically applicable therapies with proven interventions. More accessible, locally developed treatments – both safe and effective – could start to make a difference in many people’s lives.