International engagement

As part of our focus on TB, we actively engage in international efforts to help in the fight against this devastating disease.

In some cases, our external collaboration specifically supports our own research effort by providing opportunities for gaining valuable external input and sharing of best practice.

During 2008, we helped fund and participated in the Open Forum on Key Issues in TB Drug Development, organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), Treatment Action Group (TAG), and the Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs. This was the third in a series of meetings and we were also involved in the funding and participation of the two previous events.  The meetings are designed to bring together regulators, TB drug developers and other interested stakeholders, such as TB care providers, public health policy-makers, and community advocates from both major industrialized and high burden countries. The agenda is focused on addressing key issues in the discovery, development and registration of new TB treatments.

We also stepped up our involvement with the Stop TB Partnership during 2008. AstraZeneca is now a member of its International Board, which provides leadership and direction, monitors the implementation of agreed Partnership policies, plans and activities, and ensures coordination among Partnership components.  The Partnership aims to forge a more effective response to TB, and strengthen strategic impact, by engaging a broad range of stakeholders, including private sector, foundations, academic and research institutions, media, NGOs and civil society.

AstraZeneca is the only major pharmaceutical company involved in the New Medicines for TB (NM4TB) project, begun in 2006. Funded by a grant from the EU Framework VI programme and consisting of around fifteen groups of Europe’s most prominent scientists and researchers in the field, this consortium seeks to combine academic and pharmaceutical skills to further the discovery of new therapies for TB.

In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2008, our CEO David Brennan joined around 100 other CEOs in signing a public pledge not to discriminate on the basis of HIV status and to end the stigma against people suffering from HIV/AIDS. The pledge was put forward by the Global Business Coalition (GBC), an organisation of more than 220 companies united to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria a global priority. AstraZeneca is a member of GBC and was the recipient of its prestigious Business Excellence Award for TB in 2007.

The content of this page was externally assured by Bureau Veritas, February 2009.