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ORGANIC CHEMISTS FIGHTING BLINDNESS © Zul Mukhida/Sightsavers The problem of River Blindness • 2nd leading infectious cause of blindness • 140 million people in Africa at risk • 37 million people infected • Caused by bacteria that live inside the nematode worm What organic chemists did • Convert a natural product to the highly effective drug called Ivermectin (MectizanTM) • The drug kills the larvae and stops them causing damage • The drug only needs to be taken twice a year The chemistry they used • A double carbon – carbon bond is converted to a single carbon – carbon bond • Hydrogen is added to the double bond • A special catalyst makes the reaction specific for one bond Double bond Single bond