In recognition of Rare Disease Day and as part of its ongoing commitment to the global bleeding disorders community,
CSL Behring announced today that it is donating 2 million international units (IUs) of protein therapies to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). WFH is an international not-for- profit organization which has worked to improve the lives of people with hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. The donation supports the WFH’s Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) Program aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of bleeding disorders in developing countries. CSL was the first biotherapies company in the world to make a multiyear commitment to WFH to aid the GAP Program with coagulation factor donations over an extended period of time, starting in 2009. Rare Disease Day, February 28, is coordinated by the European Organization for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS) and by several national alliances and patient organizations around the globe.
"We take great pride in the progress of the GAP Program and are grateful for the generous donations made by CSL Behring," said WFH President Alain Weill. "We look forward to our continued partnership with CSL Behring as we strive to help fulfill our commitment to introduce clotting factor concentrates in developing countries where people who are living with a bleeding disorder may not be able to access appropriate treatment."
"CSL Behring is committed to improving the well-being of people who are living with rare or serious diseases," said Paul Perreault, CEO and Managing Director of CSL Limited. "The GAP Program has made excellent progress over the years and continues to align with our goal to make meaningful differences in the lives of people who are living with serious diseases, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease."
In 2012, CSL Behring renewed its product donation contract with WFH, for the period 2013 through 2015. Since 2012, CSL Behring has donated close to 7.7 million IUs of its bleeding disorders therapies to treat people with hemophilia or von Willebrand disease (VWD) in developing countries.
About the Global Alliance for Progress
The Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) Program is a healthcare development project launched in 2003, now entering the Second Decade phase. GAP’s goal is to greatly increase the diagnosis and treatment of people with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders in developing countries.
The program aims to close the gap between the number of people born with hemophilia and those who reach adulthood, the gap between the estimated and actual number of people diagnosed with bleeding disorders, and the gap between the volume of treatment product needed versus what is available. CSL Behring supports the WFH GAP Program as one of the program sponsors.
About the World Federation of Hemophilia
For over 50 years, the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), an international not-for- profit organization, has worked to improve the lives of people with hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. Established in 1963, it is a global network of patient organizations in 127 countries and has official recognition from the World Health Organization. Visit WFH online at www.wfh.org.
About CSL Behring
CSL Behring is a leader in the plasma protein therapeutics industry. Committed to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people with rare and serious diseases, the company manufactures and markets a range of plasma-derived and recombinant therapies worldwide.
CSL Behring therapies are used around the world to treat coagulation disorders including hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema and inherited respiratory disease, and neurological disorders in certain markets. The company’s products are also used in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn.
CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. CSL Behring is a global biopharmaceutical company and a member of the CSL Group of companies. The parent company, CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, visit http://www.cslbehring.com/.
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Contact:
Sarah Ford
World Federation of Hemophilia
Office: 514-394-2822
sford@wfh.org
Greg Healy
CSL Behring Office: 610-878-4841
Mobile: 610-906-4564
Greg.Healy@CSLBehring.com