Hepatitis C
Meeting the needs of millions still waiting for affordable treatment
Hepatitis C
Meeting the needs of millions still waiting for affordable treatment
We are in the final stages of developing a simple-to-use, affordable cure and testing new strategies to link patients to lifesaving treatment and care. We are also working to foster the political will needed for wide-scale roll-out of test-and-treat strategies.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, cancer, and, if not treated, death. Symptoms can take decades to develop and most people living with the disease do not know they are infected. As a result, hepatitis C is a silent epidemic.
Recent years have seen a revolution in medical innovation for hepatitis C, which can now be cured with just 8 to 24 weeks of safe, simple treatment. However, barely 7% of people living with the disease worldwide have benefited, largely because new drugs are priced out of reach for individuals and governments in countries hit hardest by the disease. In many countries, high prices are a major barrier for ‘test-and-treat’ strategies that have the potential to eliminate hepatitis C altogether.
‘Hepatitis C is a “silent epidemic” because people are unaware of their infection and go untreated for years.’
What we are doing for people living with hepatitis C
Our goal is to deliver a treatment that is equal to the best hepatitis C drugs, at a fraction of the cost. To improve access to diagnosis and treatment of this silent epidemic, we are also supporting innovative programmes in several countries.
An affordable cure to leave no one behind. We are working to develop a new simple-to-use, affordable treatment for hepatitis C that can increase access and minimize financial burden on patients and health systems. Interim trial results in Malaysia showed 97% of people treated were cured.
Leading by example in access and innovation. A pioneer in efforts to tackle hepatitis C, the Malaysian government is joining with DNDi partner Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to pilot the use of simple rapid diagnostic tests to link more people to lifesaving treatment and care.
Making medical history for neglected patients
We develop urgently needed treatments for neglected patients and ensure they’re affordable, available, and adapted to the communities who need them
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