Global Alliance for TB Drug Development to Host World TB Day 2003 Briefing

3/17/2003

From: Gwynne Oosterbaan of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, 212-227-7540, ext. 209

News Advisory:

WHAT: World TB Day 2003 Briefing: "It's Time for a Faster Cure: Forging a New TB Drug Plan"

WHO: Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

WHEN: March 19, 9 a.m. EST, 14:00 GMT, 15:00 CET 1-888-469-1086 (U.S.) 00 800 3537 6216 (Europe toll-free) 1-712-271-0644 (international dial-in) Request the "TB Alliance" teleconference

Speakers Include: -- Joelle Tanguy, Global Alliance for TB Drug Development -- Dr. Bernard Pecoul, Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders -- Dr. Doris Rouse, Research Triangle Institute -- Dr. Charles Yu, Philippines Coalition Against Tuberculosis (PHILCAT)

The epidemic: TB kills someone every 15 seconds. It is the number one killer of AIDS positive individuals and women of child-bearing age. One-third of the world is infected, at a global annual toll of $16 billion.

Today's drugs: Today's TB drugs are 30 to 50 years old. Current treatment takes 6 to 9 months to complete. Only 27 percent of the world's TB patients have access to the proper treatment.

The solution: A faster-acting TB medicine that takes only 2 months to administer. The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development is uniting public and private efforts worldwide to deliver an affordable TB drug within the decade.

The benefits: 65 percent reduction in health-care expenses. Increased cure rates. We will save thousand of more lives and deliver the promise of the World Health Organization's DOTS program, and improve global health and prosperity.

For International Toll-free Number 00-800-3537-6216 (Europe toll-free)

UIFN INTERNATIONAL ACCESS CODES & CARRIERS Country............Access Code............Carrier AUSTRALIA..........0011...................OPTUS AUSTRALIA..........0011...................TELSTRA BELGIUM............00.....................BELGACOM CHINA..............00.....................CHINA TELECOM DENMARK............00.....................TELE DANMARK FRANCE.............00.....................FRANCE TELECOM GERMANY............00.....................DEUTSCHE TELECOM HONG KONG..........001....................PCCW HUNGARY............00.....................MATAV HUNGARIAN TELECOM. IRELAND............00.....................TELECOM IRELAND ISRAEL.............00.....................BEZEQ INTERNATIONAL JAPAN..............001....................KDDI JAPAN..............0041...................JAPAN TELECOM JAPAN..............0061...................C&W IDC JAPAN..............0033...................NPT MALAYSIA...........00.....................TELECOM MALAYSIA NETHERLANDS........00.....................KPN TELECOM B.V. NEW ZEALAND........00.....................TELECOM NEW ZEALAND NORWAY.............00.....................TELENOR PHILIPPINES........00.....................PLDT PORTUGAL...........00.....................MARCONI SINGAPORE..........001....................SINGAPORETEL SOUTH KOREA........001....................KOREA TELECOM SOUTH KOREA........002....................DACOM SPAIN..............00.....................TELEFONICA SWEDEN.............009....................TELIA SWITZERLAND........00.....................SWISS TELECOM TAIWAN.............002....................CHUNGHWA TELECOM THAILAND...........001....................CAT UNITED KINGDOM.....00.....................BT UNITED KINGDOM.....00.....................CABLE AND WIRELESS