Skip to content

    Recently Viewed

      Listening...

      Home / Latest news /
      How Johnson & Johnson is helping tackle a devastating tropical disease that impacts kids
      Two smiling young girls

      How Johnson & Johnson is helping tackle a devastating tropical disease that impacts kids

      A new World Health Organization prequalification for mebendazole means the company can reach even more young people with intestinal worm infections around the globe.

      Share Article
      share to

      STH. It’s an illness you likely haven’t heard of, yet it affects approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, making it one of the world’s most common infections.

      It’s short for soil-transmitted helminthiasis, also known as intestinal worm infections, and it results from being exposed to contaminated soil, food or water in areas with poor sanitation. Children are particularly vulnerable to STH, which can lead to malnutrition, stunted growth and even impaired cognitive development.

      Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified a new way to protect children ages 1 and older against this neglected tropical disease (NTD) around the globe: a formulation of a worm-fighting medication called mebendazole that can either be chewed or mixed with a small amount of water to form a soft mass that’s easier for very young children to swallow.

      “As part of Johnson & Johnson’s long-standing commitment to combat NTDs, the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson developed this safe and effective pediatric formulation,” says Paul Stoffels, M.D., Vice Chair of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. “The WHO prequalification of this easier-to-swallow formulation is a critical step in our efforts to help young children suffering from devastating diseases.”

      The chewable formulation is also useful for older children and adults who need treatment for STH, particularly in communities that have limited access to clean water.

      Since 2006, Johnson & Johnson has delivered more than 1.4 billion doses of its parasite-fighting medication to approximately 800 million children worldwide. The company will begin distributing the new pediatric formulation as part of its donations this year.

      Johnson & Johnson’s long commitment to helping fight STH

      Since 2006, Johnson & Johnson has delivered more than 1.4 billion doses of its parasite-fighting medication to approximately 800 million children worldwide.

      Six years later, the company joined other pharmaceutical companies and organizations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to endorse the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases—a landmark pledge to donate existing treatments and develop new tools to help combat these illnesses.

      At that time, Johnson & Johnson committed to giving 200 million doses of its medication annually through 2020 via a donation program operated by the WHO. The company just extended that commitment another five years and will donate an additional one billion doses of the medication for high-burden countries starting in 2021 and going through 2025. Additionally, with the WHO prequalification, the company will begin distributing the new pediatric formulation as part of its donations this year, with a full transition to the chewable tablets starting in 2020.

      “Beyond drug donations, we are also actively collaborating with partners to improve STH diagnostics, monitoring and evaluation to allow for better data collection and decision-making,” says Jaak Peeters, Head of Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen-Cilag GmbH. “We want to help the global health community identify sustainable, long-term solutions to reduce the prevalence of intestinal worms in children and adults alike.”

      Johnson & Johnson’s Commitment to Global Public Health

      Read about the company’s efforts to help solve unmet global health challenges, from delivering care to underserved populations to pioneering the next generation of treatment solutions.

      More from Johnson & Johnson

      Innovation
      Headshots of three Johnson and Johnson female scientists

      Meet 3 leaders who are breaking new ground for women in healthcare

      For International Women’s Day, celebrate the achievements of these amazing female scientists and researchers at Johnson & Johnson.
      Innovation
      Close-up of a woman with low vision receiving an eye exam exam with a doctor shining light into her left eye

      What is low vision?

      Low vision isn’t the same as blindness, but navigating daily life with it is still challenging. For Low Vision Awareness Month, learn the facts—plus, the promising treatment innovations that are in the works.
      Innovation
      A female scientist conducting research in a laboratory, focusing on orphan drugs for rare diseases

      What is an orphan drug?

      The need for these rare disease therapies is strong, and access to them can be lifesaving. Here’s how Johnson & Johnson is innovating to help give patients options.
      You are now leaving jnj.com. The site you’re being redirected to is a branded pharmaceutical website. Please click below to continue to that site.