Mectizan Donation Program
The Mectizan Donation Program is a nonprofit program (est. 1987) under The Task Force for Global Health that coordinates Merck & Co.'s donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) — co-administered with GSK's albendazole — to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis across 62 endemic countries via national health ministries and community-directed distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersDecatur, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Mectizan Donation Program does
The Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) is a nonprofit pharmaceutical donation coordination program established in 1987 and headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, operating as a permanent program of The Task Force for Global Health. MDP coordinates Merck & Co., Inc.'s (known as MSD outside the USA and Canada) donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) 'as much as needed, for as long as needed' for the elimination of onchocerciasis (river blindness), and since 1998 also for lymphatic filariasis (LF, or elephantiasis) via co-administration with albendazole donated by GSK. Independent technical oversight is provided by the Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC).
The program's core 'products' are the donated medicines and the coordination infrastructure around them: a supply chain (manufactured and shipped from MSD's Haarlem, Netherlands facility, relocated there in 2025), an expert committee, and a trained network of community-directed distributors (CDDs) deployed through national health ministries and partner NGOs. In 2017, Merck committed up to 100 million Mectizan treatments annually through 2025 for triple therapy (IDA: ivermectin + DEC + albendazole) to accelerate LF elimination in non-onchocerciasis-endemic countries, and in 2025 extended this commitment through 2030. MDP coordinates with WHO (which verifies elimination status), PAHO, The Carter Center, the Gates Foundation ($500M Reaching the Last Mile Fund), and the END Fund, among others.
Business model: MDP does not generate revenue. It is a public-private partnership funded primarily through Merck's in-kind Mectizan donation and GSK's albendazole donation, with complementary financial support from the Gates Foundation and other donors. The program's value is measured in cumulative treatments delivered (5 billion by 2025; over 12 billion tablets since 1987), countries reached (62), and WHO-verified elimination outcomes: river blindness eliminated in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Niger (January 2025, first sub-Saharan Africa), and LF eliminated as a public health problem in Malawi, Togo, Yemen, and via IDA therapy in Timor-Leste (November 2024).
Mectizan Donation Program firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mectizan Donation Program
- Legal name
- Mectizan Donation Program
- Website
- https://mectizan.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Mectizan Donation Program is a nonprofit program (est. 1987) under The Task Force for Global Health that coordinates Merck & Co.'s donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) — co-administered with GSK's albendazole — to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis across 62 endemic countries via national health ministries and community-directed distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mectizan Donation Program industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Donation Coordination
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Infectious Disease & Immunization Program Funding (HLAJALAH), Public Health Financing, Budgeting & Grants Management (HLAJAMAC)
Keywords
Where Mectizan Donation Program is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Decatur
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Mectizan Donation Program business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Drug Donation Program: The Mectizan Donation Program does not generate revenue as it is a pharmaceutical donation program. It is primarily funded by Merck & Co., Inc. with additional support from GSK. The program coordinates the donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) and partners with GSK for albendazole donation for lymphatic filariasis elimination.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mectizan Donation Program product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) coordinates the donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) by Merck & Co., Inc. to eligible countries where river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis (LF/elephantiasis) are endemic. Established in 1987, it is the longest-running drug donation program for neglected tropical diseases, supporting mass drug administration campaigns in 62 countries through national health ministries and community-directed distributors.
Product overview
The Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) is a pharmaceutical donation coordination program, not a traditional technology product company. Its core 'product' is the Mectizan (ivermectin) drug donation from Merck & Co., Inc., established in 1987 for river blindness elimination—the longest-running drug donation program for neglected tropical diseases. The program expanded in 1998 to include lymphatic filariasis elimination through co-administration with GSK's albendazole donation. In 2017, WHO-recommended triple therapy (IDA: ivermectin + DEC + albendazole) was adopted, with Merck committing up to 100 million treatments annually. MDP coordinates with the Mectizan Expert Committee (MEC) for technical oversight, the Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE) for stakeholder coordination, and supports community-directed distributors to ensure treatments reach endemic populations. The program has facilitated over 5 billion treatments donated since 1987 across 62 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mectizan (ivermectin) Donation Program The flagship drug donation program that coordinates the supply of Mectizan (ivermectin) from Merck & Co., Inc. to eligible countries for the elimination of onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis). Established in 1987, it is the longest-running drug donation program for neglected tropical diseases.
- Mectizan with Albendazole Co-administration Combined treatment regimen where Mectizan (donated by Merck) is co-administered with albendazole (donated by GSK) for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in African countries and Yemen where the two diseases are co-endemic.
- Triple Therapy (IDA) Program Triple therapy combining ivermectin (Mectizan), diethylcarbamazine (DEC), and albendazole, recommended by WHO to accelerate elimination of lymphatic filariasis. Merck donates up to 100 million Mectizan treatments annually for this therapy.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5 billion Mectizan treatments donated as of 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Mectizan Donation Program
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Mectizan Donation Program technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Mectizan Donation Program partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)coreGSK donates albendazole for lymphatic filariasis elimination in African countries and Yemen where LF and onchocerciasis are co-endemic. Albendazole is co-administered with Mectizan. GSK also provides support to MDP.
- Merck & Co., Inc. (MSD outside USA and Canada)corePrimary pharmaceutical donor since 1987. Merck announced donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) 'as much as needed, for as long as needed' for treatment of onchocerciasis. Donation expanded in 1998 to include lymphatic filariasis (co-administered with GSK's albendazole) and in 2017 to include triple therapy (IDA) for accelerated LF elimination. Merck also funds MDP operations.
- World Health Organization (WHO)coreWHO provides technical leadership, coordination of partners, elimination target setting, and verification of elimination status for river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. WHO's NTD director and regional offices participate in MDP events and provide ongoing guidance.
- The Carter CentercoreKey implementing NGO partner. Dr. Frank Richards launched The Carter Center's river blindness program in 1995 and served as director until 2024. Carter Center's OEPA program led elimination efforts in the Americas. Paige Alexander, Carter Center CEO, participates in MDP events.
- Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)corePAHO/WHO regional office coordinates elimination efforts in the Americas. Regional director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa makes remarks on progress toward river blindness elimination in the Americas.
- Merck FoundationcoreDr. Allison Goldberg, President of Merck Foundation and Executive Director, Global Impact Investing & Giving – Social Impact & Sustainability, represents Merck at MDP events and provides interviews on drug donation programs for NTD elimination.
- Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA)coreCarter Center program that led elimination efforts in the Americas. Under Dr. Mauricio Sauerbrey's 26-year leadership, four countries eliminated river blindness. Dr. Dinorah L. Calles von Ahn succeeded Dr. Sauerbrey in 2024.
- International Trachoma InitiativecoreAlso housed at The Task Force for Global Health, oversees Pfizer's donation of Zithromax for elimination of blinding trachoma.
- Children Without WormscoreAlso housed at The Task Force for Global Health, supports Johnson & Johnson's donation of mebendazole and GSK's donation of albendazole for soil-transmitted helminthiasis control.
- Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC)coreIndependent technical body of experts providing technical oversight of MDP. Chaired by Dr. Gilbert Burnham. Provides recommendations for Mectizan donation, addresses challenges like Loa loa co-endemicity, and reviews country progress toward elimination.
- Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET)minorLocal implementing partner in Yemen supporting mass drug administration in southern Yemen, working with the Ministry of Public Health and Population based in Aden.
- The Task Force for Global HealthcoreMDP is one of the first permanent programs of The Task Force for Global Health (TFGH), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in May 2024. TFGH is home to multiple NTD programs including MDP, International Trachoma Initiative, and Children Without Worms.
- Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE)coreEstablished by WHO, member states, and partners in 2023. Serves as a platform to strengthen collaboration and communication among stakeholders, empower countries, and facilitate progress toward WHO NTD Road Map goals for onchocerciasis elimination.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mectizan Donation Program competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Carter Center: Key implementing NGO partner of MDP; its OEPA program led river blindness elimination across the Americas under Dr. Mauricio Sauerbrey for 26 years. Operates parallel MDA infrastructure for NTD elimination and shares overlapping technical and country-level workflows.
- Children Without Worms: Another TFGH-housed NTD drug donation program that coordinates Johnson & Johnson's mebendazole and GSK's albendazole donations for soil-transmitted helminthiasis control. Closely mirrors MDP's structure, mission, and partnership model.
- International Trachoma Initiative: Also housed at The Task Force for Global Health, ITI coordinates Pfizer's donation of Zithromax for trachoma elimination. It shares MDP's exact operating model — pharma donation, expert committee oversight, country-level MDA, WHO verification — making it the most structurally comparable peer.
- The END Fund: Manages the Reaching the Last Mile Fund ($500M Gates commitment) supporting river blindness and LF elimination, and is a core MDP financial and advocacy partner. Focused on NTD financing, country implementation, and donor mobilization for the same disease targets.
Broad incumbents
- World Health Organization (NTD Department): WHO sets NTD road map targets, validates country elimination, and provides technical leadership for all NTD programs including MDP. It is the governing body whose verification process defines MDP's success metrics and an indispensable counterpart rather than a competitor.
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Global public-private partnership that coordinates large-scale pharma donations for immunization in lower-income countries. Operates a comparable donor-coordination-plus-country-delivery model and represents the institutional benchmark for large-scale global health commodity programs.
- The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Massive multilateral financing mechanism for AIDS, TB, and malaria that pools donor capital and channels it to country programs. Comparable to MDP's role of converting donor and pharma commitments into country-level public health outcomes, though at much larger scale and across different diseases.
Emerging players
- CBM (Christian Blind Mission): Disability-focused INGO with significant NTD programming including LF and onchocerciasis MDA support. Overlaps with MDP on target diseases and geographies but acts as an implementing and advocacy partner rather than coordinating a drug donation program.
- Sightsavers: INGO focused on avoidable blindness and NTDs including onchocerciasis and LF. Supports MDA delivery in endemic countries and overlaps with MDP's target geographies and disease portfolio, but operates as a programmatic implementer/advocate rather than a donation coordinator.
Others
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi): Nonprofit R&D organization developing new treatments for NTDs. Thematically aligned with MDP's NTD elimination mission but operates on the drug development side rather than donation coordination, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct comparator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mectizan Donation Program social profiles
Digital presenceMectizan Donation Program financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mectizan Donation Program leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Mectizan Donation Program funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Mectizan Donation Program M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Mectizan Donation Program
What does Mectizan Donation Program do?
The Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) coordinates the donation of Mectizan (ivermectin) by Merck & Co., Inc. to eligible countries where river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis (LF/elephantiasis) are endemic. Established in 1987, it is the longest-running drug donation program for neglected tropical diseases, supporting mass drug administration campaigns in 62 countries through national health ministries and community-directed distributors.
Is Mectizan Donation Program a public or private company?
Mectizan Donation Program is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Mectizan Donation Program founded?
Mectizan Donation Program was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mectizan Donation Program based?
Mectizan Donation Program is headquartered in Decatur, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mectizan Donation Program make money?
One revenue line is on record: drug Donation Program.
Who are Mectizan Donation Program's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Carter Center, Children Without Worms, International Trachoma Initiative and The END Fund. Broad incumbents are World Health Organization (NTD Department), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Emerging players are CBM (Christian Blind Mission) and Sightsavers. Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) is listed as an others.
Does Mectizan Donation Program have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mectizan Donation Program.
What industry is Mectizan Donation Program in?
Mectizan Donation Program's product category is Pharmaceutical Donation Coordination. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAF, Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs), with a secondary code of HLAJALAH, Infectious Disease & Immunization Program Funding. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 2834.