Johnson and Johnson (J&J) has partnered with the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to develop new treatments for tuberculosis (TB).
Scientists from J&J’s public health team will work with scientists from the India-based groups on a research and development programmes to explore more effective, safer, all-oral treatment regimens to tackle the bacterial disease, which is spread quickly through inhaling tiny droplets from coughs or sneezes.
Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at J&J, said: “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 to innovative new treatments for the millions of people in India and around the world who suffer from TB.”
The therapy area isn’t a new development for J&J, however, as the group has been working on TB research for nearly 20 years, which led to the approval of bedaquiline in the EU and US.
The pharma giant has also been working on a Conditional Access Programme (CAP) since 2016 to provide the drug free of charge across 156 sites in India.
Sanjiv Navangul, managing director at Janssen India, said: “J&J companies have been serving the healthcare needs of India for 70 years now; and this partnership forms an important part of our commitment to the government’s ‘Make in India’ programme, supporting drug development for a disease that affects more than 2.8 million people in India alone.”