The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium was highlighted today in a press release issued by the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund.

Members from the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium have continued to showcase program progresses and to foster interactions with experts and stakeholders through active participation at international conferences across the world.

As of 1/1/2016 TI Pharma has joined forces with CTMM (Center for Translational Molecular Medicine), and continues as Lygature.

The Pediatric Praziquantel program has progressed well in 2015, thanks to the great commitment of the consortium partners, the important contribution from the Japanese Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the valuable input from the World Health Organization. 

After completion of the Phase I bioavailability trials and of the taste study, the Pediatric Praziquantel Program is progressing to the Phase II development stage.

This new section, News Digest, provides you with need-to-know news on neglected diseases.

When my great colleague and snail expert David Rollinson from the Natural History Museum in London told me « no snails – no schisto », I realized how important it is to include vector control in the overall strategy to eliminate schistosomiasis.

As the development program (currently in clinical phase I) moves into phase II early next year, it will see close collaboration with clinical research centers in Sub-Saharan Africa – the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium is fully committed to developing closer connections with the region.

Partners in the Pediatric Praziquantel (PZQ) Consortium have maintained a strong presence at international conferences during the last year – communicating progress on development of the pediatric formulation of PZQ. A key goal has been to maintain and develop dialogue with experts and stakeholders in the area of neglected tropical diseases.

In March 2015 the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium team visited the Republic of Tanzania, spending a week there as part of the efforts towards developing a new child-friendly orodispersible tablet for treating schistosomiasis.

Presentations on schistosomiasis received a great deal of attention at the recent 4th International Congress of the Cameroon Parasitology Society (Bandjoun, 29 April-1 May 2015). The condition was firmly identified as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) that should be better addressed.

The second research grant from GHIT provides further support for the Phase II development of a pediatric formulation to combat schistosomiasis in pre-school children

16-03-2015 Scientists are tracking snails from space in a bid to combat the spread of parasitic disease in Africa.

Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent – yet often neglected – parasitic diseases.

The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium was shortlisted and won the ‘silver’ medal for ‘best management of a programme’ at the prestigious 2014 Corporate Engagement Awards (CEA).