Neglected Patients Neglected diseases continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Yet, of the 850 new therapeutic products approved between 2000 and 2011, only 4% (and only 1% of all approved NCEs) were indicated for neglected diseases, even though these diseases account for 11% of the global disease burden. Sleeping Sickness Sleeping sickness is endemic in 36 African countries. 5.6 million people are at medium to high risk of being infected. Leishmaniasis Over 1 billion people are at risk of leishmaniasis worldwide. Visceral leishmaniasis kills an estimated 20,000-30,000 people annually. Chagas Disease Chagas disease is endemic in 21 Latin American countries where it kills more people than malaria. Less than 1% of patients have access to treatment. Paediatric HIV 1.7 million children below 15 years of age are living with HIV globally, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, and 270 of them die every day. Filaria Disease 19 million people are infected with onchocerciasis (river blindness), and 217.5 million people are at risk. Mycetoma Stigmatizing disease often resulting in devastating deformities, amputation, and morbidity. Treatment success for eumycetoma is less than 35%. Hepatitis C 58 million people are living with chronic infection, of which 75% live in low- and middle-income countries.
