Akesis

What Akesis does

Akesis Health US is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that designs and operates healthcare access programs for patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Founded in 2000 from pioneering antiretroviral treatment efforts in Africa and previously known as the Axios Foundation, the organization delivers a portfolio of services including Access Program Management, Medicine Access & Delivery, Supply Chain Technical Assistance, Lab System Strengthening, and Health Commodity Procurement. Programmatic work spans HIV/AIDS treatment and testing, cancer treatment access (notably the Sutent Patient Assistance Program across 10 LMICs from 2012-2016), HPV vaccination through the Gardasil Access Program with Merck (2007-2015), supply chain strengthening for Global Fund-supported HIV/TB/malaria programs in Sudan, and emergency commodity warehousing during the 2014-2017 Ebola response in Liberia with USAID.

The organization's technology footprint centers on the mSupply Warehouse Management System for logistics data generation, transmission, and routine program reporting, integrated with central warehouse management for remote supervision, plus the proprietary Patient Financial Eligibility Tool (PFET) used to assess patient ability to pay across formal and informal income sources. Underpinning delivery is a multi-partner model: Akesis works with pharmaceutical companies that donate products (Abbott, Merck, AstraZeneca), bilateral/multilateral funders (USAID, UNDP, GFATM), government health ministries, and a network of local NGO implementers in target countries. The 2025-launched Medicine Within Reach initiative formalizes direct individual/SMB donation support alongside institutional funding, covering up to 90% of treatment costs for patients in 20+ countries.

Commercially, Akesis Health US does not sell products or services; revenue is generated via donations and charitable contributions from individuals and foundations and via pharmaceutical partner grants and program funding. Following an April 1, 2025 restructuring, Akesis Health US operates independently from Akesis Health Nigeria, which continues the organization's Africa-focused work as a separate locally-led entity. The two organizations remain in strategic collaboration with Axios International, which provides patient access program design expertise without influencing allocation of Medicine Within Reach funds.

Name

Akesis

Legal name

Akesis Health US

Website

https://akesishealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Akesis Health US is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs and operates healthcare access programs — including medicine delivery, patient assistance, and supply chain strengthening — for patients in low- and middle-income countries through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, governments, and NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Health Access Programs

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Supply Chain, Procurement & Access to Medicines (BPADAIAI), Health Systems Strengthening & Primary Care Development (HLAJAKAJ), Public Health Program Administration & Operations (HLAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Global health programs
• Patient access programs
• Medicine access
• Supply chain management
• Health system strengthening

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Akesis Health US is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. Contributions are managed responsibly and distributed transparently to support patient access programs.
2. Pharmaceutical Partner Grants: The organization receives support from pharmaceutical companies like Abbott Laboratories, Merck & Co., and AstraZeneca for implementing access programs for treatments and vaccines.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Akesis Health US is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs, manages, and implements healthcare access programs and health system strengthening services in low- and middle-income countries. The organization delivers end-to-end medicine access program management, supply chain technical assistance, laboratory system strengthening, and health commodity procurement, and connects patients in 20+ countries to life-saving treatments via the Medicine Within Reach initiative launched in 2025.

Product overview

Akesis Health US is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of healthcare access programs and services rather than a single unified software product. The core offerings include Medicine Access & Delivery (end-to-end essential medicines delivery), Access Program Management (patient assistance programs), Supply Chain Technical Assistance (systems strengthening for governments), Lab System Strengthening (laboratory optimization and quality assurance), and Health Commodity Procurement (pharmaceutical sourcing). These services are implemented through various disease-specific programs including cancer treatment access, HIV/AIDS care, HPV vaccination, and emergency epidemic response. The flagship 2025 initiative, Medicine Within Reach, serves as the primary patient-facing program connecting patients in 20+ countries to life-saving treatments with up to 90% of costs covered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Medicine Within Reach: A global initiative connecting patients in 20+ countries to life-saving treatment they couldn't otherwise afford, covering up to 90% of treatment costs.

Products and services

• Medicine Within Reach A global initiative connecting patients in 20+ countries to life-saving treatment they cannot afford, covering up to 90% of treatment costs through a multi-partner collaboration model with Axios International and partner NGOs.
• Access Program Management Service ensuring patients with life-threatening conditions can begin and complete the care they need, regardless of where they live or their financial status. Delivered to pharmaceutical partners, governments, and NGOs in low- and middle-income countries.
• Medicine Access & Delivery End-to-end delivery management of essential medicines and health commodities, ensuring the right products reach the right patients at the right time, even in challenging environments, delivered to governments and pharmaceutical partners.
• Supply Chain Technical Assistance Technical expertise provided to governments and health organizations to design, assess, and strengthen the systems that get medicines to patients, building local capacity for lasting, sustainable access.
• Lab System Strengthening Laboratory optimization through infrastructure and supply chain improvements, equipment procurement and maintenance, training and capacity development, laboratory information systems design and implementation, and quality assurance integration, delivered to ministries of health and laboratory networks.
• Health Commodity Procurement Sourcing and procuring cost-effective, fast, and transparent quality pharmaceutical products and health commodities through a network of international and local suppliers and manufacturers, on behalf of governments and health programs.
• Sutent Patient Assistance Program A shared-cost patient assistance program (2012-2016) helping uninsured cancer patients pay for treatment based on financial assessment using PFET, delivered with Axios International and local cancer NGOs in 10 LMICs.
• Access to HIV Care Program HIV treatment and testing access program (2001-2007) that made HIV therapies (Norvir and Kaletra) and rapid HIV tests (Determine) available at reduced cost in 69 countries, reaching over 6 million patients through 250+ implementing institutions.
• Gardasil Access Program (GAP) HPV vaccination program (2007-2015) implemented across 21 countries to build country capacity for HPV vaccine access in resource-limited settings, reaching over 445,000 girls with 88.7% vaccine uptake ratio.
• Ethiopia Breast Cancer Care Program Six-year pilot project (2005-2010) at Tikur Anbessa University Hospital in Ethiopia to strengthen breast cancer diagnosis and treatment capabilities, screening, diagnosing, or treating 3,634 patients.
• Orphans and Vulnerable Children Support Program Program (2005-2007) in Burkina Faso that trained women in income-generating activities, enabling the Yéyelen organization to grow to over 1,000 members and support over 300 orphans and vulnerable children in attending primary school.
• Home-Based Care Program for People Living with HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS home-based care program (2008-ongoing) in Tanzania's Lindi and Mtwara regions that reached more than 20,000 patients within 11 districts through community volunteer networks.
• Sudan Health Commodity Supply Chain Strengthening Program (2014) to integrate and strengthen commodity supply chains for Global Fund-supported HIV, TB, and Malaria programs in Sudan, creating an integrated national health commodities supply chain system in partnership with UNDP.
• Liberia Ebola Epidemic Response Emergency response program (2014-2017) during the Ebola epidemic that established and managed critical supply warehouses in Monrovia, Liberia, for DELIVER commodities on behalf of USAID.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported over 9 million patients worldwide through access programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Axios InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic collaboration forming the Medicine Within Reach initiative. Akesis Health US brings nearly 25 years of expertise managing donations and global health programs, while Axios International brings 28 years of experience designing and implementing patient access programs across 100+ countries, having supported over 9 million patients worldwide. Axios does not influence allocation of Medicine Within Reach funds and does not benefit financially from donations.
• The Cancer Foundation of ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in the Sutent Patient Assistance Program (2012-2016) to manage cancer treatment access and drug logistics, including donation management for select patients in China.
• Chulabhorn Cancer Center of ThailandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in the Sutent Patient Assistance Program to manage cancer treatment access and drug donations for patients in Thailand.
• Indonesian Cancer Foundation (YKI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in the Sutent Patient Assistance Program to manage cancer treatment access and drug logistics in Indonesia.
• Pilipinas Shell Foundation of the PhilippinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in the Sutent Patient Assistance Program to manage cancer treatment access and drug donations for patients in the Philippines.
• Abbott LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped and implemented the Access to HIV Care program (2001-2007) to increase access to HIV therapies (Norvir, Kaletra) and rapid testing (Determine) in 69 countries. Abbott provided products at a loss for the program.
• Merck & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to develop the Gardasil Access Program (2007-2015) to build country capacity for HPV vaccination in resource-limited settings across multiple countries.
• AstraZenecacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the six-year breast cancer project (2005-2010) at Tikur Anbessa University Hospital in Ethiopia to strengthen diagnosis and treatment capabilities.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered under a UNDP-funded project in northern Sudan to strengthen Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) supported commodity supply chains.
• USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the Ebola epidemic response in Liberia (2014-2017) through the DELIVER project and later GHSC-PSM project for warehouse management of critical health commodities.
• Government of TanzaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Tanzania's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to implement the Home-Based Care program for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Lindi and Mtwara regions.
• Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported integrated commodity supply chains for HIV, Malaria, and TB programs in Sudan through collaboration with national disease programs.
• Central Medical Supplies Corporation (Sudan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to strengthen GFATM supply chains and create an integrated supply chain to serve all disease programs in the Republic of Sudan.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Axios International: Axios International is Akesis's core strategic partner and operates patient access programs across 100+ countries with 28 years of experience supporting 9M+ patients. It is the closest direct peer given its shared focus on access programs, shared-cost models, and use of the Patient Financial Eligibility Tool.
• PATH: PATH is a global health nonprofit working on vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and health system strengthening across 70+ countries — overlapping with Akesis on HPV vaccination access, supply chain strengthening, and lab systems work.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): CHAI is a global health nonprofit focused on expanding access to HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and cancer treatments in LMICs through market-shaping deals with pharma companies and governments — directly comparable to Akesis's medicine access and supply chain work, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• John Snow, Inc. (JSI): JSI is a public health consulting firm that manages USAID supply chain projects (including predecessor work to GHSC-PSM) and operates global health programs in LMICs — directly comparable to Akesis's warehouse management and donor-funded commodity distribution work.
• Management Sciences for Health (MSH): MSH is a global health nonprofit that works with governments and local partners to build strong, sustainable health systems, with deep expertise in supply chain management, pharmaceutical systems, and health system strengthening — directly comparable to Akesis's supply chain technical assistance services.
• Partners in Health: Partners in Health operates health system strengthening programs in resource-limited settings across multiple continents, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, and cancer care delivery — comparable to Akesis's HIV Home-Based Care work in Tanzania and cancer treatment access programs.
• Americares: Americares is a health-focused nonprofit that distributes donated medicines and medical supplies to LMICs and runs global health programs — directly comparable to Akesis's pharmaceutical donation management and medicine access programs.

Emerging players

• RxImpact (National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation): Pharmacy-focused access programs in the US and LMICs with overlapping focus on medication access — partial overlap with Akesis's medicine access work but narrower scope (US pharmacy-centric).

Broad incumbents

• Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: The Global Fund is a major multilateral funder that Akesis has worked under to strengthen commodity supply chains for HIV/TB/Malaria programs in Sudan — comparable in mission space (global health access) though functioning as a funder rather than implementer.
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Gavi is a much larger global vaccine access organization that co-finances immunization programs in LMICs and partners with pharma companies (including Merck) on vaccine access — overlapping with Akesis's Gardasil Access Program work but operating at global alliance scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akesishealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Akesis