New hope in the fight against African sleeping sickness

According to the WHO, African sleeping sickness, also known as African trypanosomiasis, threatens almost 60 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone. The parasitic pathogen is transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly and is particularly widespread among the poorest sections of the population in rural areas of this region.

The disease can go unnoticed for months or even years. By the time the symptoms finally emerge, the disease is already at an advanced stage in which the parasite has infected the brain, and central nervous system is also affected. African sleeping sickness is fatal if it goes untreated.

A combination therapy using the active substances nifurtimox from Bayer Schering Pharma and eflornithin from another pharmaceutical company has proved especially promising in clinical trials for the fight against the disease. As a result, the WHO added this combination therapy to the List of Essential Drugs in May 2009.

At the same time, preparations for the introduction of this treatment have already begun in the countries where the disease is endemic. The WHO intends not only to offer the drugs, but also to provide training in their use to ensure maximum access to the combination therapy.

Bayer Schering Pharma is supplying the WHO free-of-charge with tablets containing the active ingredient nifurtimox. We also supported the clinical trials to examine nifurtimox's suitability for treating African sleeping sickness.

Since 2002 we have also been supplying the World Health Organization (WHO) with a drug for fighting African sleeping sickness containing the active substance suramin. Our contract, which has already been extended for another five years, guarantees the WHO free access to the drug.

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