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Johnson & JohnsonPrivate Limited today announced a new partnership with the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to unlock the potential of Indian science and help accelerate the discovery of innovative new treatments for tuberculosis (TB).
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, scientists from Johnson & Johnson’s global public health team will work closely with scientists from CSIR-IMTECH, based in Chandigarh, India, on a research and development program to explore potentially more effective, safer, all-oral treatment regimens to tackle multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), as well as new molecular entities to treat all TB patients.
“We are united with India in our determination to make TB history,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson, who joined Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Science and Technology, at an event in New Delhi, to announce the Memorandum of Understanding. “While we have made great advances in recent years with the approval of new TB medicines much more needs to be done. By bringing together some of India’s brightest minds with our scientists, we increase the potential to achieve major research breakthroughs that can lead toinnovative new treatments for the millions of people in India and around the world who suffer from TB.”
The new research program will capitalize on CSIR-IMTECH’s world-class expertise in microbial technology and research and the proven research and development capabilities of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies to strengthen the collective potential of our research efforts.
“TB remains a significant challenge in India, killing approximately half a million-people in 2015 alone,” said Dr. Anil Koul, Director, CSIR-IMTECH. “The partnership we have announced today with Johnson & Johnson has the potential to accelerate our work in support of India’s National Strategic Plan, our accelerated action plan to End TB by 2025, and most importantly save lives.”
Today’s announcement builds on nearly 20 years of TB research and development by Johnson & Johnson,which led to the approval of bedaquiline, the first new TB medicine in nearly 50 years, and adds to existing partnerships at central and state levels in India to increase awareness, diagnosis and care, and broaden access to bedaquiline.
In March 2016, Janssen India and the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (under the aegis of the Director General of Health Services) announced a Conditional Access Program (CAP) to provide bedaquiline free-of-charge for 600 patients across six sites in India. In April 2017, it was confirmed that the CAP would be expanded to additional TB patients across 156 sites.Janssen India has also partnered with authorities in Mumbai, Telangana, Patna and Nagpur to increase awareness of TB and improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care.
“Johnson & Johnson companies have been serving the healthcare needs of India for seventy years now; and this partnership forms an important part of our commitment to the government’s ‘Make in India’ program, supporting Indian drug development for a disease that affects more than 2.8 million people in our country,” added Sanjiv avangul, Managing Director, Janssen India.
About Johnson & Johnson
Caring for the world, one person at a time, inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science – bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our approximately 127,100 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.
Our Commitment to Global Public Health For 130 years, Johnson & Johnson has been committed to improving the health of individuals, families and communities around the world, including the most vulnerable populations. Today, our vibrant, entrepreneurial and committed employees bring business acumen and their collaborative spirit to help solve some of the most complex global health problems. By harnessing our collective breadth and scale, and our employees’ passion and purpose, we strive to change the trajectory of health for humanity.
Our Global Public Health Strategy We are focused on tackling some of the world’s most pressing public health challenges such as HIV, TB and mental health and committed to achievingtransformational health outcomes for the world’s most vulnerable people. Taking a holistic approach we are developing integrated, evidence-based solutions that will ensure crucial innovative medicines and products are accessible and delivered to those in need. And bringingto bear our deep expertise, talent, operational excellence, community engagement and partnershipswith governments, donors, non-profits and multilateral institutions globally and locally we will accelerate these efforts.
About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it.
Media Contact
Ronan Collins
Global Communication & External Affairs Leader
Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health
jnj.com/global-public-health
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