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Ten years of GSK's lymphatic filariasis programme
Ten years and 750 million tablets later, progress is being made in the fight against lymphatic filariasis.
Saturday 26 January 2008 marked the tenth anniversary of GlaxoSmithKline’s commitment to the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF). Often known as elephantiasis, LF is a debilitating parasitic infection spread by mosquitoes that affects 120 million people in 83 countries around the world.
We have the potential to change the lives of one billion people who are at risk from this disabling disease 
On 26 January 1998, SmithKline Beecham, one of the merger partners that came together to form GSK, announced its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to spearhead a global effort to eliminate LF. The company committed to donate its medicine albendazole, an anti-parasitic drug recommended by WHO (with other medicines) for stopping the transmission of LF, for as long as was needed to eliminate the disease worldwide.
Following the announcement, GSK worked with WHO and leaders in the LF community to build a public-private partnership, and, at a meeting in Spain in May 2000 the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis was officially formed.
Progress towards eliminating LF
Between 2000 and 2006 over 400 million albendazole treatments have been co-administered in 44 countries, primarily in the developing world. So far, Egypt, several Pacific Island countries, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, and Togo have completed the WHO recommended five annual mass drug administrations.
To date GSK has donated over 750 million tablets, with over 150 million of these treatments of albendazole given in 2007 alone. The company estimates that 24 million babies born into the treated regions have been spared the risk of contracting this devastating disease.
Commenting on the ten year anniversary, GSK’s CEO, JP Garnier, said “We have the potential to change the lives of one billion people who are at risk from this disabling disease and we are making excellent progress towards this goal.”
A future without LF
This milestone, whilst impressive, is not the end of GSK’s commitment. The goal of both GSK and the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis is to free the world of this disfiguring and disabling disease by 2020.
More countries need to expand their treatment activity and others initiate national programmes. The greatest need is to raise global awareness of LF in order to attract additional partners and secure resources to ensure a successful conclusion – the eradication of LF.
