WHO and Bayer Renew $25M Partnership to Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Bayer AG, a global leader in healthcare and life sciences, have renewed their long-standing partnership to intensify the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)—a group of illnesses that continue to affect millions in the world's poorest regions. The renewed five-year agreement (2025–2030) underscores a joint commitment to eliminate Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and taeniasis/cysticercosis (pork tapeworm disease) through sustained medicine donations, financial support, and strengthened surveillance systems.

Since 2002, Bayer has been a crucial ally in WHO's NTD control programmes, donating life-saving drugs and financial resources that have helped reduce the global burden of these diseases. This latest renewal—signed by WHO on 26 August 2025 and Bayer on 2 October 2025—builds on over two decades of collaboration that has already transformed public health outcomes across Africa and Latin America.

$25 Million in Renewed Support: Medicines and Funding for Elimination

Under the new framework, Bayer will donate 18 million tablets and vials of essential medicines—valued at approximately US$ 15.5 million—alongside an additional US$ 9.45 million to fund WHO's operational and programmatic work. This funding will enable expanded screening, surveillance, and treatment programs across affected countries between 2025 and 2030, in alignment with the WHO NTD Road Map 2021–2030.

The donated portfolio includes:

• Suramin and nifurtimox (two formulations) for sleeping sickness and Chagas disease.

• Niclosamide for the treatment of taeniasis/cysticercosis.

Together, these contributions will help accelerate global progress toward the elimination and control targets set for 2030.

"On behalf of WHO and the Member States, I extend our deepest gratitude to Bayer AG for their continued commitment and partnership. This 20-year collaboration reflects an enduring trust and shared vision for global health equity," said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care.

Progress and Challenges: Sleeping Sickness Nears Elimination

Bayer's long-term support has been pivotal in reducing human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) cases to historic lows. Between 2020 and 2025, 10 African countries—including Benin, Ghana, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Uganda, and Rwanda—were validated by WHO for eliminating the disease as a public health problem.

Reported cases fell sharply, with only 546 cases of the gambiense form and 37 cases of the rhodesiense form in 2024, marking unprecedented progress despite active surveillance efforts.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—home to the highest disease burden—Bayer's contributions have driven dramatic declines through the provision of suramin, enhanced case detection, and training of local health workers. The next five years will focus on sustaining these achievements through integrated surveillance, vector control, and community awareness.

"For over two decades, Bayer and WHO have worked together to advance the health of vulnerable populations. Our renewed partnership reflects our mission of 'Health for All, Hunger for None,' and our ongoing commitment to eliminating NTDs," said Claus Runge, Bayer's Chief Health Equity Officer and Global Head of Public Affairs, Sustainability & Internal Engagement.

Expanding Access to Chagas Disease Treatment

Since 2004, Bayer's donation of nifurtimox has been instrumental in improving access to treatment for Chagas disease, particularly in Latin America. The launch of a paediatric 30 mg formulation in 2020, with a disintegrating tablet to aid child treatment, marked a major step forward in addressing paediatric care gaps.

From 2025–2030, the partnership will emphasize early diagnosis, maternal screening, and community-level awareness to prevent congenital Chagas disease. Bayer will also fund digital health tools, mapping initiatives, and patient network support, ensuring a data-driven approach to disease control.

Combating Taeniasis/Cysticercosis: Reducing Preventable Epilepsy

Bayer's donation of niclosamide since 2020 has supported treatment campaigns in several countries, contributing over 1 million tablets to control T. solium infections—the root cause of neurocysticercosis, a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in developing regions.

The next phase of work will adopt a One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health programs to break transmission cycles. These efforts will prioritize high-burden areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, where taeniasis remains a major public health challenge.

Global Impact: Toward a World Free of Neglected Diseases

NTDs encompass 21 diseases that thrive in areas with poor sanitation, limited healthcare, and unsafe water. Despite their relative neglect in global health agendas, they collectively cause massive economic losses—costing developing economies billions of dollars annually through health expenditures, lost productivity, and disability.

Between 2010 and 2023, concerted efforts by WHO and its pharmaceutical partners have led to a reduction of nearly 700 million people requiring treatment for NTDs. So far, 58 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, with several having achieved elimination of multiple diseases.

The WHO NTD Road Map (2021–2030) aims to eradicate or eliminate multiple NTDs by 2030 through sustained partnerships, country ownership, and integrated health systems. Bayer's renewed commitment directly supports this vision, ensuring that critical medicines and funding reach communities where they are needed most.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Resilience Through Partnership

The WHO–Bayer collaboration represents more than a donation program—it is a strategic alliance built on shared values of equity, innovation, and sustainability. Over the next five years, this partnership will expand its scope through:

• Enhanced surveillance and digital mapping to track disease trends in real time.

• Capacity building for local healthcare workers.

• Community engagement to combat stigma and improve awareness.

• Integrated cross-sectoral coordination aligned with the One Health framework.

As the global community moves closer to achieving the 2030 NTD targets, this renewed alliance stands as a powerful testament to how public-private partnerships can transform lives, strengthen health systems, and bring the world closer to universal health coverage.

Through this sustained effort, WHO and Bayer are reaffirming a shared commitment—to ensure that no disease, and no person, is left behind.