Dr. Satoshi Omura of Kitasato Univerisity and his collaborator, Dr. William C. Campbell of Merck, were awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites”. What they discovered is the breakthrough medicine ivermectin which cures onchocerciasis, an insect-borne disease caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus.
Onchocerciasis is estimated to affect 18 million people every year primarily in tropical regions such as West and Central Africa. Once infected, intense itching, rash, scarring and visual impairment occur, and in severe cases blindness is resulted. It is estimated nearly 300,000 people lose their eyesight to every year to onchocerciasis.