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Merck Commemorates 30 Years of MECTIZAN® Donation Program Progress

Program Expanded to Reach Additional 100 Million People Annually for Lymphatic Filariasis in Support of New, Evidence-Based WHO Guidelines Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced an expansion of the MECTIZAN® Donation Program (MDP) to reach up to an additional 100 million people per year through 2025 as part of the global effort to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF). Through the MDP, established by Merck in 1987, Merck donates MECTIZAN ® (ivermectin) for onchocerciasis (river blindness) in all affected areas (Latin America, Africa, Yemen) and for LF in African countries where it co-exists with river blindness. LF, also known as elephantiasis, is a parasitic disease transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes. Over time, infection can impair the lymphatic system leading to severe swelling of the limbs and genitals resulting in severe disability and social stigma. One of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), it is present in 72

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-commemorates-30-years-of-mectizan-donation-program-progress/

Togo Becomes First Country in Africa to Validate the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis as a Public Health Problem

LOME, TOGO - GSK, Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), and the MECTIZAN ® Donation Program (MDP) congratulate President Faure Gnassingbé, the government and the people of Togo for becoming the first country in Africa recognized by the World Health Organization to have eliminated lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem. LF, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating disease caused by a parasite transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), LF is found in 73 countries with an estimated 120 million people infected. Long-term, chronic infection may cause damage to the lymphatic system of people affected, and limbs, breasts, and genitals can become severely and irreversibly swollen, causing extreme discomfort and social stigmatization. In African countries where LF and another parasitic disease called river blindness are co-endemic, the WHO recommends co-administering two medicines,

https://www.merck.com/news/togo-becomes-first-country-in-africa-to-validate-the-elimination-of-lymphatic-filariasis-as-a-public-health-problem/

Merck Congratulates Guatemala as Fourth Country in Latin America to Achieve WHO Verification of Elimination of River Blindness

Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, commends the government of Guatemala on being the fourth country in Latin America to receive World Health Organization (WHO) verification of the elimination of river blindness (onchocerciasis). This announcement comes one year after the international coalition, formed by The Carter Center, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO and Merck’s MECTIZAN Donation Program, urged for the final push to eliminate onchocerciasis from the Americas. The government of Guatemala worked in partnership with the MECTIZAN Donation Program, PAHO, WHO and The Carter Center’s Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA), to eliminate onchocerciasis – one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide – using MECTIZAN® (ivermectin), donated by Merck. With this verification, four of the six countries in the Americas historically at-risk for river blindness have verified elimination of the disease. “We

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-congratulates-guatemala-as-fourth-country-in-latin-america-to-achieve-who-verification-of-elimination-of-river-blindness/

Merck and the Mectizan Donation Program Donate $1 Million to the END Fund for Efforts to Help Eliminate River Blindness in Africa

Since 1987 Merck Has Donated More than Two Billion Treatments of Mectizan to Help Eliminate River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the company, together with the Mectizan Donation Program, is donating $1 million to the END Fund in support of efforts in Africa to eliminate river blindness, which is also known as onchocerciasis. Today’s donation will enable participating countries to prepare for a period of post-treatment surveillance that is needed before an application can be submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) for official elimination verification status. Efforts to eliminate river blindness are aligned with WHO’s Roadmap on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), which calls for elimination of river blindness in selected countries in Africa by 2020. While three countries in Latin America have already received WHO verification of elimination of river blindness, no countries in Africa

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-the-mectizan-donation-program-donate-1-million-to-the-end-fund-for-efforts-to-help-eliminate-river-blindness-in-africa/

Merck Congratulates Awardees of 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Discovery Leading to River Blindness Treatment

Co-recipient Dr. William C. Campbell Conducted his Nobel Prize-winning Work at Merck Research Laboratories Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, proudly congratulates William C. Campbell, a retired scientist from Merck Research Laboratories, who was jointly named the 2015 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine with Satoshi Omura for the discovery of avermectin, which led to Merck’s development of Mectizan (ivermectin), a treatment for river blindness (also known as onchocerciasis) in Africa, Latin America and Yemen. They will share the prize with Youyou Tu for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria. River blindness is a parasitic infection that can cause intense itching, skin discoloration, rashes, and eye disease that often leads to permanent blindness. It is spread by the bites of infected black flies that breed in rapidly flowing rivers in the affected countries. “We are particularly proud of our colleague Dr. Campbell whose

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-congratulates-awardees-of-2015-nobel-prize-in-physiology-or-medicine-for-discovery-leading-to-river-blindness-treatment/

International Coalition Urges Final Push to Eliminate River Blindness from the Americas

Country efforts supported by a major public-private partnership - including The Carter Center/OEPA, PAHO/WHO, and Merck & Co., Inc.’s Mectizan Donation Program - bring the region closer to achieving the elimination goal by 2020 Mexico latest country to receive verification of elimination by World Health Organization The Carter Center, PAHO/WHO and the Mectizan Donation Program of Merck & Co., Inc. known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, are part of a coalition of organizations helping countries in the Americas fight river blindness (onchocerciasis), and are calling for a final push to definitively eliminate transmission of the disabling disease from the Western Hemisphere. “Today, four of the six river blindness-endemic countries in the Americas have eliminated transmission of the disease, but I am not ready to celebrate until the task is complete,” said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, founder of The Carter Center, which has led the campaign to wipe out river

https://www.merck.com/news/international-coalition-urges-final-push-to-eliminate-river-blindness-from-the-americas/

Merck Congratulates Ecuador as Second Country to Receive PAHO/WHO Verification of Elimination of River Blindness

Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, applauds the government of Ecuador on being the second country in the world to receive World Health Organization (WHO) verification of the elimination of river blindness (onchocerciasis) using MECTIZAN ® (ivermectin). Ecuador worked in partnership with the MECTIZAN Donation Program and The Carter Center-sponsored Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas, as well as the Pan American Health Organization, the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), to eliminate onchocerciasis – one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. “We celebrate the achievement of this critical milestone with the people of Ecuador and the MECTIZAN Donation Program and its partners. The verification of Ecuador as the second country in the world to eliminate the transmission of river blindness is a highly motivating development because it reminds us of what is possible,” said Kenneth

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-congratulates-ecuador-as-second-country-to-receive-paho-who-verification-of-elimination-of-river-blindness/

Merck Applauds Colombia for First PAHO/WHO Verification of Elimination of River Blindness

Historic Milestone Reflects Successful Collaboration Among MECTIZAN ® Donation Program and Partners Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, applauds the government of Colombia whose work with the MECTIZAN® Donation Program and The Carter Center-sponsored Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas led to today’s Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO/WHO), verification of Colombia as the first country in the world to eliminate the transmission of river blindness (onchocerciasis), using MECTIZAN (ivermectin). Onchocerciasis is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. “We are humbled by the great work of the MECTIZAN Donation Program and its partners in protecting future generations of Colombians from a disease that carries devastating implications for people, families, healthcare systems and local economies,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-applauds-colombia-for-first-paho-who-verification-of-elimination-of-river-blindness/