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Tuberculosis

Despite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) is among the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, killing 1.6 million people in 2021—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.
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Growing drug resistance is compounding this public health challenge. In 2021, there were nearly half a million new cases of drug-resistant (DR-TB), which does not respond to the most frequently used first-line TB medicines. Just over 160,000 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 directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Disruptions to health systems and diversion of resources caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened the situation, resulting in an increase in TB deaths and disease for the first time in a decade.


For 20 years, both in the lab and at the last mile of healthcare in countries impacted by TB and DR-TB, Johnson & Johnson has been supporting efforts in high-burden regions and countries, including Southeast Asia, India, China, South Africa, and around the globe to end TB and combat AMR.
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Our 10-year initiative

To drive progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goal target of ending TB by 2030, in September 2018, Johnson & Johnson announced a 10-year initiative focused around three pillars:

Expanding global access to our multidrug-resistant
TB treatment

Including to 135+ low- and middle-income countries, as well as non-governmental organizations, procuring our medicine through the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility, while ensuring careful stewardship so that future patients can benefit in the face of rising AMR

Supporting global efforts to help find the “missing millions”

Of people with undiagnosed TB and MDR-TB by leveraging our expertise in behavioral science to engage youth and raise community awareness in a concerted effort to drive health-seeking behavior and early diagnosis of TB

Reinvesting in research and development (R&D)

To develop shorter, safer and simpler regimens to outpace AMR and end TB.

Recognizing 10 years of impact enabled by our medicine for Multidrug-Resistant 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.
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Today, our TB medicine is approved in many countries around the world, including in many high-burden countries, and three of every four DR-TB patients are being treated with an all-oral regimen containing our medicine. It is also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a core component of all-oral treatment regimens for nearly all DR-TB patients, in addition to being included on the WHO’s Essential Medicines List.
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A group of 6 small children in school uniforms smiling and laughing at the camera

By the numbers

600k+
Courses of our medicine
delivered to date
158
Countries accessing our medicine, including the 30 highest-burden countries
72
Countries in which our
medicine has been approved
  • To build a world without TB, we must bring this disease out of the shadows and address the biggest barriers that prevent people from seeking care. Young people can play a key role in bringing about this change, which is why it’s so important to meaningfully invest in the potential of youth as champions of change for themselves, their families, their peers and their communities.
    Anna Caravaggio
    Vice President, Global Public Health Franchises, Johnson & Johnson
  • The greatest opportunity to accelerate the fight against TB is right now in this new decade.
    Ana-Maria Ionescu
    Global Marketing Leader, Tuberculosis, Global Public Health
  • Johnson & Johnson is advancing the fight against TB by doing much beyond the pill. We are engaging with partners at the national and international levels to ensure that we work with them to build the capacity and the systems needed to ensure that treatment is accessible.
    Rachana Acharya
    Associate Director, Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen India
  • When we end TB, patients and families can go back to their normal lives. Then, we can apply and scale up learnings from TB elimination efforts to help more patients in other areas.
    Juliana Chin
    Regional Public Health Impact & Strategy, Johnson & Johnson Southeast Asia

News and updates

PAN-TB Collaboration to Advance Investigational Tuberculosis Drug Regimens to Phase 2 Clinical Trials

Public-private collaboration to evaluate five antimicrobial agents across two combination regimens for treating both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant forms of TB with shorter treatment durations

“We want a world without tuberculosis in our lifetimes”

Healthcare providers who contracted TB on the job. A microbiologist researching new treatments. An activist ensuring attention is paid to one of the world’s greatest health threats. These young leaders share one goal: to help end TB.

Pathway to progress

Two men in protective goggles looking through glass at something in a lab
2002

New compound is identified

Janssen investigates possible compound for the treatment of MDR-TB.
A microscopic view of cells under a microscope
2004

Janssen makes breakthrough discovery

Janssen researchers create new anti-TB treatment using a new compound identified two years earlier that is able to kill off TB bacteria by blocking a specific enzyme. This research is published in Science one year later.
Medicine
2012

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.
 J&J enters agreement for Russia and CIS
2013

Agreement signed for Russia and CIS

Our company enters a commercial licensing agreement with JSC Pharmstandard for for the registration, commercialization and manufacturing of MDR-TB medicine for Russia and several other countries in the region.
Scientists examining something in a lab
2014

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.
Prix Galien Award Scientists
2014

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.
Inset- TB Innovation Timeline- Bedaquiline donation program
2015

Johnson & Johnson launches four-year Donation Program

Our company commits to donate courses of our medicine, free of charge, in up to 110 eligible countries through a donation program with USAID and Pharmastand, ultimately donating 105,000 courses from 2015-2019.
Medicine
2015

MDR-TB Medicine added to WHO Essential Medicines List

MDR-TB Medicine Added to WHO Essential Medicines List
Prix Galien
2016

Janssen wins prestigious international award

Our MDR-TB medicine receives an International Prix Galien Award, recognizing excellence in scientific innovation to improve human health.
The outside of a hospital in India
2017

An innovation-focused research collaboration is formed in India

Johnson & Johnson announces a collaboration with India’s Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTech) that’s focused on discovering new treatments for TB.
Man in South Africa
2018

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.
Woman smiling
2018

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.
TEST Inset- TB Innovation Timeline- Microscope
2018

Johnson & Johnson announces 10-year TB initiative

Johnson & Johnson announces new 10-year TB initiative aimed at improving patient finding, expanding treatment access and advancing R&D at the first UN High Level Meeting on TB.
Inset- Johnson & Johnson’s Quest to Cure Tuberculosis: TK Life-Changing Moments in Innovation- Research pipette
2019

Johnson & Johnson launches new R&D collaboration

Johnson & Johnson partners with the EU’s Innovative Health Initiative and eight European academic and research institutions to launch a new collaborative, RESPIRI-TB, aimed at accelerating the discovery of new TB medicines. The initiative later launches UNITE4TB in 2021.
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2019

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.
FDA icon on blue background
2019

FDA approves our MDR-TB medicine for adolescents

The U.S. FDA grants approval for the medicine as part of combination therapy for eligible patients over the age of 12 and younger than 18 with pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
WHO-EN-RGB_1080.jpg
2019

WHO recommends all-oral DR-TB treatment regimens

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of all-oral regimens containing our medicine for all drug-resistant tuberculosis patients.
Scientist examining petri dish in a lab
2019

New global collaboration to develop transformative treatments

Johnson & Jonson joins a global consortium of philanthropic, non-profit and private sector organizations to accelerate the development of novel “pan-TB” treatment regimens.
Group of happy African children, East Africa
2020

FDA approves pediatric formulation of our MDR-TB medicine

Johnson & Johnson receives the first regulatory approval for the pediatric formulation of our medicine, which is later also approved by the European Commission in March 2021.
NTD_TB_south african woman
2020

J&J and partners announce efforts to scale-up access

J&J and Stop TB Partnership announce joint efforts to accelerate scale-up of WHO-recommended, all-oral treatment regimens and drive progress toward the global goal of ending TB.
vietnam-tb-vaccine-inset.jpg
2021

J&J announces initiatives to find the “missing millions”

Johnson & Johnson announces five initiatives to help find and deliver care to the “missing millions” of adults and children living with TB who have not yet been diagnosed.
Female scientist examining a test beaker containing purple liquid
2021

J&J launches Centers for Global Health Discovery

First Satellite Center for Global Health Discovery is launched at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, aimed at accelerating new TB drug regimens.
Scientists in PPE examining a vial filled with clear liquid
2022

PAN-TB collaboration announces execution of a joint development agreement (JDA)

Johnson & Johnson joins with PAN-TB collaboration to announce the progression of two investigational TB combination regimens into phase 2 clinical development.
Research Assistant from the TB Clinic shows a video on TB and HIV to a family in Mangwaneni in Mbabane.
2022

J&J Announces New Youth-Focused Initiatives

Johnson & Johnson announces a series of initiatives aimed at helping empower a generation of youth to end TB in support of the Company’s efforts to help find the “missing millions.”