Gilead has pledged over 400,000 doses of its antifungal medication to countries affected by a parasitic tropical disease as part of a renewed partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Since 2011, Gilead has provided more than 1.1 million vials of AmBisome (liposomal amphotericin B for injection) and over $18m to help eliminate visceral leishmaniasis, a tropical disease transmitted by female sandflies.
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Under a new agreement, Gilead will donate 402,941 vials of the medication to countries most affected by the disease. This includes those in Africa, such as Chad, Ethiopia, and Kenya, and Asian countries, including India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The latest partnership, which will see Gilead and the WHO work together for a further five years, marks the third renewal since AmBisome was first donated. The medicine donation and funding support go towards the WHO’s aim of eliminating the disease.
The WHO’s assistant director-general of health promotion and disease prevention, Dr Jeremy Farrar, said: “This agreement underscores the power of strategic partnerships in advancing global health priorities. Through our collaboration with Gilead Sciences, the WHO is better equipped to support countries in accelerating the elimination of visceral leishmaniasis as a public health problem.
“Over the next five years, this collaboration will help expand access to essential tools, foster innovation, and reinforce health systems where the burden is greatest.”
Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, is endemic in more than 80 countries and is the most severe form of leishmaniasis. This form of the disease infects internal organs and, without timely treatment, is almost always fatal.
The disease is caused by Leishmania, a type of parasitic protozoan. Over 90 sandfly species are known to transmit the organism. AmBisome works by targeting ergosterol, the primary sterol in the Leishmania cell membrane. This forms pores that leak essential nutrients, causing the parasite to die.
As a result of the WHO’s work, including support from Gilead, the number of new cases of visceral leishmaniasis in South-East Asia has declined by more than 95% since the start of the elimination programme in 2005.
The work around visceral leishmaniasis is not the only global aid effort Gilead undertakes. The company runs several philanthropic initiatives supporting HIV and other infectious disease treatment initiatives around the world. In 2019, the company donated 2.4 million bottles of HIV preventative Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir) to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Then in 2024, the drugmaker collaborated with African authorities to support public health responses to Marburg Virus by providing access to its broad-spectrum antiviral medication.
