May 25, 2023
Eisai Co., Ltd.

No.23-38

EISAI’S INITIATIVES FOR DEVELOPING NEW MEDICINES FOR NEGLECTED TROPICALDISEASES AND MALARIA AND COMMITMENT FOR FUNDING TO THE 3RD PHASE OF
GLOBAL HEALTH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FUND ACTIVITIESEisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) has announced that it will grant a total of
625 million yen to the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (“GHIT Fund”) to fund the third phase ofits activities, which will take place in the five-year period from FY2023 to FY2027. The GHIT Fund is a
public-private partnership, co-established in April 2013 by partners such as Japanese pharmaceuticalcompanies (including Eisai), the Japanese government, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for thepurpose of accelerating development of new medicines to cure infectious diseases in developing andemerging countries by facilitating collaboration between research organizations in Japan and overseas.
Eisai has provided a total of 1 billion yen to the first phase (FY2013 – FY2017) and the second phase(FY2018 – FY2022) of the GHIT Fund.
In order to develop treatments for the numerous people suffering from infectious diseases such as
neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and malaria in developing and emerging countries, there are diseasespecific development and marketability issues to overcome. It is also necessary to establish local supply
systems and help patients secure access to diagnosis and treatments. The key to overcoming thesechallenges are industry-government-academia partnerships which transcend the usual sector boundaries.
Eisai considers making efforts to resolve the global issue of access to medicines to be its duty. Under apublic-private partnership including governments, international organizations, and private non-profitorganizations, Eisai has participated in 23 joint research projects to develop new medicines and vaccines
for mycetoma, malaria and filariasis, with the support of the GHIT Fund.
Eisai has conducted a Phase II clinical trial of its in-house developed agent E1224 (generic name:fosravuconazole) in Sudan for the treatment of mycetoma in partnership with the non-profit organization
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). Eisai is also conducting a Phase II clinical trial ofantimalarial agent SJ733 in collaboration with the University of Kentucky.
Eisai considers efforts for improving access to medicines, such as the elimination of NTDs and malaria, asactivities aimed at creating long-term corporate value and social impact based on its corporate concept ofhuman health care (hhc). We will continue to strengthen cooperation with our global partners and contributeto “relieving anxiety over health” and “reducing health disparities” for people at risk of infection with NTDs
and those suffering from theses diseases.

Media Inquiries:
Public Relations Department,
Eisai Co., Ltd.
+81-(0)3-3817-5120

[Notes to editors]
1.

About the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund)The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership fund (PPP) that was formed between theGovernment of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and theUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio ofdevelopment partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglectedtropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners,
the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, anddiagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases.
https://www.ghitfund.org/en
2.

About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

Neglected Tropic Diseases (NTDs) include 20 diseases that the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies as tropicaldiseases which human race must overcome. More than 1.7 billion people living in the poorest and most marginalized
communities worldwide are exposed to the risk of NTD infection. The spread of NTDs is mainly caused by poor hygienic
conditions associated with poverty. Infections from these diseases may result in serious physical impairment and thisoften results in normal economic and social activities becoming highly challenging to the individual. In the worst cases,
NTDs may also result in death. The prevalence of NTDs is a stumbling block to economic growth for developing andemerging countries.
The following 20 NTDs have been designated by the WHO for control or elimination: dengue fever and chikungunya,rabies, trachoma, buruli ulcer, endemic treponematoses (yaws), leprosy (Hansen's disease), Chagas disease, Africansleeping sickness (Human African trypanosomiasis), leishmaniasis, taeniasis/cysticercosis, dracunculiasis (guinea
worm disease], echinococcosis, food-borne trematode infections, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis,soil-transmitted helminthiasis, mycetoma, scabies and snakebite envenoming.
3.

About Mycetoma

Mycetoma was officially recognized as the 18th NTD by the WHO in 2016. It is considered to be one of the mostneglected tropical diseases since there is a lack of basic information including its transmission pathway and incidence.
Mycetoma is a progressive, chronic subcutaneous infectious disease. While most commonly seen in the feet, it canalso occur in other parts of the body. It is caused by bacteria or fungus entering the body through a cut or wound andinfecting the tissue beneath the skin.1
Mycetoma is divided into two subtypes: Actinomycetoma (caused by bacterial infection) and Eumycetoma (caused byfungal infection). Actinomycetoma can be treated with antibiotics, with more than 90% success rate. On the other hand,
while azole anti-fungal drugs can be used to treat Eumycetoma, the effectiveness is limited often resulting in recurrence
and surgery or amputation of limbs.
4.

About Malaria

Malaria, one of the three major infectious diseases, is caused by malaria parasites that are transmitted to people
through the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the WHO, about the half of the world's population is exposed to
the risk of malaria, and there were an estimated 247 million malaria cases in 85 countries in 2021, of which about
620,000 lost their life. In particular, infants, children under the age of five, and pregnant women are more likely todevelop serious illness and are always at risk of life-threatening conditions.2
Recently, strains of malaria which are resistant to existing medicines have been reported, and the development of a
new medicine with a novel mechanism of action is an urgent priority. The majority of available antimalarial medicines

target the blood-stage, in which the parasites replicate within erythrocytes, but medicines for the liver and transmission
stages are limited. In order to completely cure malaria, prevent relapse, and prevent malaria being spread via
mosquitoes, it is necessary to develop a new antimalarial medicine which targets all stages of the parasite lifecycle.

1 WHO Mycetoma http://www.who.int/buruli/mycetoma/en/
2 WHO Malaria https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria