

Billions of doses have been delivered and it is projected that these diseases are less than a decade away from being eliminated as a public health problem. Onchocerciasis (also known as river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis are two worms that cause debilitating and disfiguring diseases affecting primarily low-resourced areas of Africa. In humans, it is approved to treat a wide range of parasites, like lice and scabies, but is most commonly used for parasitic worms. It is available in numerous formulations for veterinary medicine (oral, topical, IV, IM, SC) and is effective in treating fleas, ticks, mites and heartworm.

Ivermectin (from the parent compound avermectin) was originally marketed to veterinary medicine providers, where it is considered a “wonder drug” for its broad-spectrum effect on a wide number of parasites. The levels of ivermectin required to produce anti-viral activity are toxic to humans.
