Novartis China and China Leprosy Association Sign Strategic Cooperation Memorandum to Advance Dermatology Specialty Development and Talent Cultivation

China Finance and Economics News, November 8th: Yesterday at the 7th CIIE, Novartis China and the Chinese Leprosy Association announced the signing of a strategic cooperation memorandum.

Both parties will integrate their advantageous resources and make comprehensive efforts in academic exchange, disease control, clinical research, talent cultivation, and public welfare popularization in the field of dermatology. By promoting the development of specialized disciplines, they aim to enhance prevention and treatment capabilities, prevent and treat diseases for the benefit of the public, support the goal of completely eliminating the harm of leprosy, and push China's skin health cause to new heights.

Data show that leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, primarily invading tissues such as the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory mucosa, and eyes, spreading through close skin contact or respiratory droplets. The clinical manifestations of leprosy are varied; in the early stages, the main symptoms are pale or red patches on the skin that are neither painful nor itchy. If not detected and treated early, sensory loss or impairment may occur, and in the late stages, irreversible limb deformities such as facial distortion, claw hands, and foot ulcers can develop. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent deformities, and standardized treatment can lead to complete recovery. The vast majority of people have immunity to leprosy, with a low incidence rate. Currently, there are nearly 80,000 leprosy survivors in China facing medical and life challenges related to recurrence, deformities, and rehabilitation.

Although the incidence of leprosy has dropped significantly, there are still certain challenges globally, with new cases reported each year. According to WHO statistics, leprosy is still present in more than 120 countries, with nearly 200,000 new cases reported annually.

Although China has reached the World Health Organization's standard of "basically eliminating" leprosy (prevalence rate below 1/10,000) in the field of leprosy prevention and control, due to the lack of an effective vaccine, there are still hundreds of new cases each year. If public awareness and vigilance among clinicians towards leprosy decrease, it will lead to "diagnostic delays," resulting in severe consequences such as disability and disfigurement.

At the beginning of 2024, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and 11 other departments jointly formulated China's "Sustainable Development Plan for the Comprehensive Elimination of Leprosy Hazards (2024-2030)", indicating that leprosy prevention and control still have a long way to go.

Professor Zhang Furen, Chairman of the Chinese Leprosy Association,候任Director of the Dermatology and Venereology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and President of the Dermatology Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, emphasized: "The Chinese Leprosy Association has always been committed to the prevention and treatment of leprosy and the cause of skin health. The current collaboration with Novartis China is both an opportunity and a responsibility. We look forward to integrating the strengths of both parties, enhancing academic exchanges, promoting scientific research cooperation, and cultivating more high-quality dermatology professionals in China. I believe that with the joint efforts of both sides, we will certainly achieve fruitful results and contribute to China's goal of eliminating leprosy as soon as possible."

Since 2000, Novartis has provided free multidrug combination chemotherapy for leprosy patients worldwide through the World Health Organization. It has donated medicines worth over 100 million US dollars, helping more than 7.5 million leprosy patients receive treatment globally and effectively curbing the growth in the number of leprosy patients. In 2014, the Novartis Foundation launched the Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) program, which aims to track individuals who have been in contact with leprosy patients and provide them with preventive treatment. In recent years, Novartis has promoted early medical diagnosis and digital healthcare to further enhance the prevention and control of leprosy.

Tian Yu, Vice President of Novartis China and Head of the Immunotherapy Field, stated that Novartis has long been actively involved in leprosy prevention and treatment efforts globally and in China. This collaboration with the Chinese Leprosy Association represents another significant initiative by Novartis to support leprosy prevention and control in China. "We will fully leverage our strengths in pharmaceutical R&D, innovative technologies, and global resources to provide comprehensive support for disease-specific program development and talent cultivation in the leprosy field. We firmly believe that through close cooperation between both parties, we can achieve more breakthroughs in dermatology, offer patients better treatment options and services, and make bold strides toward the wonderful goal of creating a world without leprosy, continuously striving for the health and well-being of humanity."