WHO and Bayer AG Renew Partnership to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organization (WHO) and German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG have extended their partnership to support endemic countries in scaling up free-of-charge treatment against three deadly neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Since 2002, Bayer AG has been donating medicines to WHO's work on NTDs, and the five-year extension (2025-2030) continues this engagement, covering the donation of quality-assured medicines and financial support to global programs against Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, and taeniasis/cysticercosis. The partnership has made significant progress in the fight against sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and taeniasis, with over 18 million tablets and vials worth US$ 15.5 million donated by Bayer AG.

Key Takeaways:

  • The WHO and Bayer AG have renewed their partnership to support endemic countries in scaling up free-of-charge treatment against three deadly neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
  • Bayer AG has been donating medicines to WHO's work on NTDs since 2002, with a total of 18 million tablets and vials worth US$ 15.5 million donated between 2025 and 2030.
  • The partnership will focus on providing financial support to global programs against Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, and taeniasis/cysticercosis, as well as increasing access to treatment for children and pregnant women.
  • The agreement also stipulates that Bayer AG will provide US$ 9.45 million in support of WHO's programmatic work and operations on these three conditions between 2025 and 2030.
  • Since 2020, 10 countries have been validated by WHO for eliminating either the gambiense or the rhodesiense forms of human African trypanosomiasis.
  • Abundant efforts to reach the global target of control of sleeping sickness seen through the new agreements and standards.
  • The partnership has made significant progress in the fight against sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and taeniasis, with over 1 million tablets of niclosamide donated to treat taeniasis.
  • Bayer AG's support will focus on high-burden countries to scale up disease control through a One Health approach integrating T. solium activities with other human, animal, or environmental health programs.

Statistics:

  • 18 million tablets and vials worth US$ 15.5 million donated by Bayer AG between 2025 and 2030
  • 9.45 million US dollars provided in support of WHO's programmatic work and operations on Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, and taeniasis/cysticercosis between 2025 and 2030
  • 1 million tablets of niclosamide donated to treat taeniasis as of October 2025
  • 10 countries validated by WHO for eliminating either the gambiense or the rhodesiense forms of human African trypanosomiasis since 2020

Sources:

  • World Health Organization (WHO). Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030. Geneva: WHO; 2020.
  • Bayer AG. Bayer and WHO extend partnership to combat neglected tropical diseases. [cited 2025 Oct 25]. Available from: [http://www.bayer.com/en/newsroom/pressreleases/2020/bayer-and-who-extend-partnership-to-combat-neglected-tropical-diseases.htm]
  • WHO. Neglected tropical diseases: Progress and challenges towards targets set in the NTD Roadmap 2021–2030. [cited 2025 Oct 25]. Available from: [https://www.who.int/news-room/q-and-a/detail/neglected-tropical-diseases-progres-and-challenges-towards-targets-set-in-the-ntd-roadmap-2021-2030]