espite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, killing 1.5 million people every year—more than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. Underserved communities bear the largest burden, with more than 95% of TB-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries, but this airborne disease knows no borders.
Growing drug resistance is compounding this public health challenge. In 2018, there were nearly 500,000 new cases of drug-resistant (DR-TB), which does not respond to the most frequently used first-line TB medicines. Less than 187,000 of these patients were diagnosed, meaning there are approximately 300,000 people with DR-TB who do not know they are infected. Drug-resistant TB now accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths from antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
For nearly 20 years, both in our laboratories and on the ground in countries impacted by TB and MDR-TB, Johnson & Johnson has been supporting global efforts to end TB and combat AMR.
XRay King Dinuzulu Hospital
Our Mission: Enabling a World Without TB
Our Mission: Enabling a World Without TB
In 2012, our medicine for pulmonary MDR-TB was granted accelerated approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) for use as part of a combination therapy in adults when an effective treatment regimen cannot otherwise be provided. This was the first targeted TB drug with a novel mechanism of action to be approved in more than 40 years.
Courses of our medicine provided for free through a four-year donation program
Countries accessing our medicine, including the 30 highest-burden countries
Countries in which our medicine has been approved
Our 10-Year Initiative
In September 2018, Johnson & Johnson reaffirmed its continued commitment to the fight against TB by announcing a new 10-year initiative with three pillars:
Expanding access to treatment by offering a not-for-profit price to 130+ low- and middle-income countries, as well as nongovernmental organizations, procuring our medicine through the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility
Improving case finding and strengthening health systems to reach the thousands of people with undiagnosed TB and MDR-TB and connect them to care, including by improving diagnostic capacity, training health workers and raising community awareness
Accelerating TB research and development (R&D) to discover innovative next-generation treatments that will be needed to reach the global goal of ending TB
A new report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and with support from Johnson & Johnson, emphasizes the urgent need for focused global action to address the growing threat of DR-TB. Through innovative partnerships and collaborations, Johnson & Johnson is working to create world without DR-TB and end TB.
Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) is on the rise with 558,000 new cases a year. It is the only airborne drug-resistant epidemic and responsible for nearly 1/3 of all deaths from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally.
Beyond its devastating impact on human lives, DR-TB takes a tremendous economic toll. The EIU analysis shows that, based on current incidence and prevalence rates, DR-TB deaths in a single year are estimated to cost the global economy at least US $17.8 billion.
Delay is no longer an option — it’s time to step up the fight to end drug-resistant TB. A new report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and with support from Johnson & Johnson, emphasizes the urgent need for focused global action to address the growing threat of DR-TB.
In the lead-up to the first-ever United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis in September 2018, the Stop TB Partnership, Johnson & Johnson, UN Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the World Economic Forum co-hosted the first of its kind TB Innovation Summit.
Janssen investigates possible compound for the treatment of MDR-TB.
Janssen’s MDR-TB Medicine Shows Promise
Janssen team publishes study in Science showing new drug killed TB bacteria—including drug-resistant bacteria—in the test tube and in a mouse model at faster rate than existing TB drugs.
Medicine Receives Accelerated FDA Approval
Our MDR-TB medicine is granted accelerated approval by the U.S. FDA as the first targeted drug with a novel mechanism of action against TB in more than 40 years.
Agreement Signed for Russia and CIS
Our company enters into a commercial licensing agreement with JSC Pharmstandard for the registration, commercialization and manufacturing of MDR-TB medicine for Russia and several other countries in the region.
Europe Grants Conditional Approval
Following a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency, the European Commission grants conditional approval of our medicine for MDR-TB.
Johnson & Johnson Enters Collaboration With Global Drug Facility
This partnership with a procurement agent for the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF) helps to facilitate access to the company’s MDR-TB medicine.
Collaboration Announced to Further Evaluate Medicine
Janssen announces collaboration with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) to include our MDR-TB medicine in two arms of the STREAM study, an ongoing trial to evaluate MDR-TB treatment regimens.
Johnson & Johnson Launches Four-Year Donation Program
Our company commits to provide up to 30,000 courses of our medicine, free of charge, in up to 110 eligible countries through a donation program with USAID and Pharmstandard (quantities later increased, see March 2019).
MDR-TB Medicine Added to WHO Essential Medicines List
The World Health Organization adds our MDR-TB medicine to its Essential Medicines List.
Janssen Wins Prestigious International Award
Our MDR-TB medicine receives an International Prix Galien Award, recognizing excellence in scientific innovation to improve human health.
Johnson & Johnson Announces Extension of Donation Program
In response to high demand, Johnson & Johnson commits to provide an additional 30,000 courses of treatment through its donation program with USAID and JSC Pharmstandard; ultimately donated 105,000 courses (see March 2019).
South African Government Leads the Way
South Africa becomes the first country to recommend a bedaquiline-containing, injection-free regimen for all eligible MDR-TB patients.
Johnson & Johnson Offers Not-for-Profit Price to Eligible Countries
Johnson & Johnson announced that our MDR-TB medicine would be made available at a not-for-profit price to more than 130 countries procuring our medicine through the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility.
New Study Suggests Cost-Effectiveness of Our MDR-TB Medicine
A new cost-effectiveness study suggests both long- and short-course regimens containing our MDR-TB drug, without injectables, are cost-effective and provide significant health system savings.
Johnson & Johnson Announces 10-Year TB Initiative
Johnson & Johnson announces new 10-year TB initiative aimed at improving case finding, expanding treatment access and advancing R&D.
WHO Finalizes New MDR-TB Treatment Guidelines
The World Health Organization announces revised treatment guidelines for MDR-TB that categorize our medicine as a “Group A” medicine to be prioritized when constructing a conventional (long-course) regimen for MDR-TB.
Conclusion of Successful Donation Program
Johnson & Johnson ultimately committed 105,000 courses of our MDR-TB medicine, free of charge, to 80 countries through four-year donation program with USAID and JSC Pharmstandard.
Johnson & Johnson-Supported EIU Report Launches
Report estimates DR-TB deaths in a single year cost the global economy at least US$17.8 billion and calls for action to end the epidemic.
Johnson & Johnson Launches New R&D Collaboration
Johnson & Johnson partners with the EU’s Innovative Medicines Initiative and eight European academic and research institutions to launch a new collaboration aimed at accelerating the discovery of new TB medicines.
J&J commits $500 million to help end HIV and TB
J&J announces four-year commitment, focused on developing new innovations and accelerating the delivery of existing and new tools to combat both epidemics.
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Champions to #ENDTB
To end TB, we urgently need to bring forward a new generation of treatments and multidrug regimens that are shorter, safer and more effective than many of the drugs currently used to treat the disease.
— Jaak Peeters, Global Head, Global Public Health, Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, our top priority is developing and delivering medicines to all patients in need. We stand committed to working closely with countries and other partners to rapidly scale up access to bedaquiline and reach all eligible patients.
— Paul Stoffels, M.D., Vice Chair of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer
Our mission has always been to ensure that patients have access to the best and most innovative TB treatment. I am confident that together with our global partners, we can achieve our ambitious goal of ending TB by 2030.
— Adrian Thomas, Vice President for Global Access and TB Lead Global Public Health, Johnson & Johnson
It has been an honor to be part of the team that worked to develop the first novel medicine for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the last 40 years. Our achievement highlights the importance of research to improve global public health and reinforces Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to Our Credo: patients come first.
— Koen Andries, Distinguished Research Fellow Emeritus, Janssen
