Eli Lilly Commits To Healthcare For 30 Million People In Middle-Income Countries And US By 2030

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly today announced a stepped-up commitment to provide improved access to quality healthcare for 30 million people in resource-limited settings by 2030.

The initiative, called Lilly 30×30, is based on a five-year, US$90 million investment in the Lilly Global Health Partnership, and aims at improving access to treatments for diabetes, cancer, and tuberculosis.

In a press release, Lilly briefly explained its vision and commitment to treating tuberculosis in poor communities, and its work to progress on tuberculosis treatments, as well as better diagnostics and treatment for chronic conditions like diabetes and cancer.

“Lilly 30×30 is a company-wide mandate to achieve a six-fold increase in the number of people we reach annually, outside of our traditional business,” John Lechleiter, Lilly chairman, president and CEO, said the release.

The Lilly Global Health Partnership will help people living in communities with limited resources in Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United States.

The partnership also includes a new US$ 15 million commitment to the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) in order to accelerate early stage drug discovery and preclinical development for potential new TB medicines, the company said.

The announcement said one-half of the $90 million commitment will come from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation (Foundation); the other half will come from company funds. In order to reach 30 million people annually in communities with limited resources, Lilly will explore new approaches, in particular:

• Initiatives to strengthen health systems and local treatment capacity in communities with significant gaps in care
• Patient education programs
• Collaboration on drug discovery for diseases disproportionately affecting people in resource-limited settings
• Product delivery and packaging more appropriate for people in resource-limited settings
• Innovative business models, including alternative product pricing strategies to improve access to care.