Merck Serono strengthens commitment to combating worm disease

Merck Serono is stepping up its efforts to combat the tropical worm disease schistosomiasis as part of a major new global agreement.

The pharmaceutical company will work with the World Health Organization (WHO) to increase its annual donation of praziquantel tablets – the most effective therapy for this disease – from 25 million to 250 million.

A tenfold increase will help to address the current shortfall in treatment availability, while Merck Serono is also conducting research into a new paediatric formulation of the drug.

This announcement came during a meeting of pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and charities organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, during which pledges were made to eliminate schistosomiasis among a number of other tropical diseases.

Stefan Oschmann, president of Merck Serono, said: "The closer we coordinate the donation activities, research and development of new drugs, as well as the supply and distribution of drugs with each other, the more effectively we'll be able to fight these diseases."

This builds on an agreement between Merck Serono and the WHO in December 2012, when it committed to maintaining its anti-schistosomiasis programme indefinitely, rather than ending it in 2017 as originally planned.