Octapharma donates Nuwiq® to the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program to provide patients with haemophilia A in developing countries access to therapy

LACHEN, Switzerland - Friday, December 23rd 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Octapharma is proud to announce that the company has made a charitable donation of 4.5 million units of its fourth generation, human cell-line derived recombinant factor VIII product, Nuwiq®, to the World Federation of Hematology (WFH) Humanitarian Aid Program.

The lack of access to care in developing countries is an urgent and important public health challenge. The aim of the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program is to provide consistent and predictable access to treatment for all. Through the donation of Nuwiq®, Octapharma is helping to provide access to FVIII therapy in developing countries that may otherwise be unable to fully meet the treatment requirements of all patients.

“The WFH is leading the effort to change the lack of access to treatment products for bleeding disorders in developing countries by providing consistent and predictable access to treatment for all,” said Assad Haffar, WFH Director of Humanitarian Aid. “This donation of treatment products from Octapharma will help support the WFH in this important outreach.”

“For lasting change to occur in countries most in need, it is imperative that we all come together to support the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program,” said Alain Weill, WFH President. “Treatment for all is truly the responsibility of all.”

Olaf Walter, Board Member at Octapharma, stated “The WFH Humanitarian Aid Program is an important initiative to provide access to care for people with haemophilia in the developing world. We are proud to contribute to the program as part of our ongoing mission to invest and make a difference in people’s lives”.

About Haemophilia A

Haemophilia A is an X-linked hereditary disorder caused by FVIII deficiency which if left untreated leads to haemorrhages in muscles and joints and consequently to arthropathy and severe morbidity. FVIII replacement prophylactic treatment reduces the number of bleeding episodes and the risk of permanent joint damage. This disorder affects one in every 5,000 to 10,000 men worldwide. Globally, 75% of haemophilia cases are left undiagnosed or untreated.

About Octapharma

Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines. As a family-owned company, Octapharma believes in investing to make a difference in people’s lives and has been doing so since 1983; because it’s in our blood.

Octapharma employs approximately 6,400 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in 105 countries with products across three therapeutic areas:

    Haematology (coagulation disorders)
    Immunotherapy (immune disorders)
    Critical care

Octapharma owns five state-of-the-art production facilities in Austria, France, Germany, Sweden and Mexico.

For more information visit www.octapharma.com

Contacts

Octapharma AG

International Business Unit- Haematology

Olaf Walter

Olaf.Walter@octapharma.com

or

Larisa Belyanskaya

Larisa.Belyanskaya@octapharma.com

Tel: +41 55 4512121    









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