Ivermectin is a critical drug for the control and elimination of multiple neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Currently, children weighing under 15kg are excluded from mass drug administration (MDA) programmes and do not receive treatment with ivermectin due to the lack of safety data and a suitable paediatric formulation. This treatment gap can result in life-long harm for children from impacts such as blindness and growth stunting, and the lack of a suitable paediatric formulation also presents a serious obstacle to efforts to control and eliminate several NTDs.

The World Health Organization conducted a Paediatric Drug Optimization (PADO) in 2023, review to identify critical needs for therapeutics in children affected by NTDs. Recognizing the central role of ivermectin in the control of NTDs and the opportunity to accelerate progress by expanding treatment to young children, the PADO review highlighted the importance of developing a suitable paediatric formulation of ivermectin and collecting much-needed data on its safety and efficacy in paediatric populations.

In 2025, DNDi joined IVM-KIDS, a consortium led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to generate critical data to determine ivermectin dosing for children below 15kg and evaluate a novel oral dispersible formulation of the drug to bridge critical treatment gaps for NTDs affecting children in endemic countries. The project brings together leading academic and drug development partners across Europe and sub-Saharan Africa working to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the novel oral dispersible formulation, including through a large safety study conducted in Kenya, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.