Partnership Discusses Fight Against MDR-TB in South Africa

The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership recently brought together experts to highlight the battle against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in South Africa.

The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership — a public-private initiative of 14 organizations — transfers manufacturing know-how to technology partners around the world. The partnership also enhances access to medicines and conducts early-stage drug discovery.

South African partner, Aspen Pharmacare, sold its first batch of cycloserine, an antibiotic produced by Eli Lilly, to Botswana in 2006. It is producing cycloserine at a new facility, which has the capacity to produce more than 4 billion tablets and capsules per year.

Aspen also has begun construction of a facility to produce vials of capreomycin, a treatment for second-line tuberculosis. Production there will start in early 2009, Eli Lilly said.