NEW YORK (Oct. 12, 2006) – The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) announced today that it has received $11.3 million (€9 million) from the Government of Ireland to further the substantial progress being made in developing new TB drugs – to combat a disease that kills two million people each year.
The grant comes as world health authorities express mounting concern over the emerging global health threat of multiple and extremely drug resistant strains of tuberculosis, against which today’s drugs are increasingly powerless.
The grant is the second round of support this year from the Irish, who previously gave the TB Alliance $360,512 (€300,000) to accelerate research and development.
"We are grateful to the Irish government for helping accelerate our progress in finding faster, more effective anti-TB drugs," said Dr. Maria C. Freire, CEO and President of the TB Alliance. "The additional funding is truly opportune as the growing global concern over TB reinforces the need for increased investment in new tools to control TB."