BEIJING, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer Schering Pharmaceuticals, the leading pharmaceutical company in China and a global leader in hemophilia care, announced today a euro 1.5 million pledge to develop Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs) throughout China. Over the next five years, Bayer’s support will fund a variety of necessities, including equipment and supplies, patient programs, educational materials, medical training and nursing support. The Bayer China Hemophilia Treatment Center Development Project is a partnership between Bayer Schering Pharmaceuticals and the Chinese Society of Hematology to improve hemophilia care throughout the country.
Approximately one quarter of the world’s hemophilia population (between 70,000 and 100,000 people) resides in China. While there has been tremendous progress over the past few years, the sheer size of the patient population makes diagnosis and treatment a significant healthcare challenge for the health authorities in China. Addressing this challenge will require a strong collaborative effort between the government, the Chinese hemophilia community, the World Federation of Hemophilia and industry partners such as Bayer. With timely diagnosis and proper care, people with hemophilia can live active, productive lives.
HTCs are designed to meet the unique needs of both patients and their families within a single treatment facility. By taking a comprehensive care approach -- which seeks to address every aspect of patients’ lives, including their physical, emotional and psychological well-being -- treatment centers can lower patient morbidity and provide cost-effective care in the long term. In other countries, this model has greatly improved the quality of life for people with bleeding disorders, helping them to be more independent and productive. China currently has six Hemophilia Treatment Centers that are part of the Hemophilia Treatment Center Collaborative Network of China (HTCCNC). These centers will be further developed and strengthened as part of this initiative.
“We are grateful to Bayer for its support of and commitment to the Chinese hemophilia community,” said professor Ruan Changgeng, president, Chinese Society of Hematology. “The Bayer China Hemophilia Treatment Center Development Project is a massive investment in the health and well-being of our society in an area of critical unmet need. Through Bayer’s generous support and our own commitment to improving access to care, patients and their families will receive the best possible support through a team of dedicated professionals.”
“The Bayer China Hemophilia Treatment Center Development Project holds tremendous potential to improve the lives of hemophilia patients in China,” said Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. “On behalf of the Bayer Group, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Chinese hemophilia community on this momentous day. This program truly embodies the spirit of Bayer as a company -- investing in the communities in which we do business, developing them and growing with them.”
“This is a new era in hemophilia care in China,” said Mark Skinner, president, World Federation of Hemophilia. “The WFH began its involvement in China in 1993 and over the past 15 years has helped establish and improve care through a number of projects, including building the Hemophilia Treatment Center Collaborative Network. In 2009, China will become part of the WFH’s Global Alliance for Progress. Bayer’s support and development of the comprehensive care HTC network will be instrumental in helping achieve our vision of Treatment for All.”
“Stepping forward, stepping ahead... this is how I characterize this unique partnership and the commitment Bayer is making to the Chinese hemophilia community,” said Michael E. Mathews, general manager, hematology, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. “Our passion for improving the lives of people around the world motivated us to step forward with this major funding pledge. But more importantly, the results will help the quality of care to step ahead, giving Chinese people with hemophilia better opportunities to live the lives they choose. We also consider it a privilege and an honor to be supporting the Chinese hemophilia community in this effort.”
Bayer has been actively improving hemophilia care in China since 2000 and is the manufacturer of the only recombinant factor VIII therapy, Kogenate(R) FS, licensed in the country. Last year, Bayer’s commitment to the Chinese hemophilia community was further demonstrated when the company donated Kogenate(R) FS to avert a humanitarian crisis due to an acute shortage of plasma-derived factor VIII. In addition, the company continues to support rebuilding efforts following the Sichuan earthquake through the donation of materials and medicines, as well as expertise in the areas of materials, healthcare and technology.
The current effort in China reflects Bayer’s passion for and commitment to developing innovative hemophilia treatments and expanding scientific and clinical knowledge that improves patient care. Over the past two decades, Bayer has:
* Invested hundreds of millions of dollars in hemophilia research, clinical trials and post-marketing studies to ensure the safety and efficacy of its Kogenate(R) product line and to develop the next generation of products. Bayer is currently the only company with a long-acting recombinant factor VIII therapy in clinical trials.
* Supported local and international hemophilia patient groups such as the WFH in their advocacy and patient care initiatives.
* Supported innovative educational and training programs to improve the diagnosis and care of people with bleeding disorders around the world.
* Donated more than 30 million IUs of product to countries, including China, with limited access to hemophilia treatment -- bringing hope and saving lives.
About Kogenate(R) FS
Kogenate(R) FS, Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), is a recombinant factor VIII treatment indicated for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes and peri-operative management in adults and children (0-16 years) with hemophilia A. Kogenate FS is also indicated for routine prophylaxis to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes and the risk of joint damage in children with hemophilia A with no pre-existing joint damage. The most serious adverse reactions are systemic hypersensitivity reactions including bronchospastic reactions and/or hypotension and anaphylaxis and the development of high-titer inhibitors necessitating alternative treatments to AHF. The most common adverse reactions observed in clinical trials (frequency > / - 4% of patients) were skin associated hypersensitivity reactions (rash, pruritus, urticaria), inhibitor formation in previously untreated or minimally treated patients, infusion site reactions, and central venous access device (CVAD) line-associated infections.
Kogenate FS is contraindicated in patients who have manifested life-threatening immediate hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to the product or its components, including mouse or hamster proteins.
Please see the full prescribing information for important risk and use information at http://www.kogenatefs.com.
About Hemophilia A
Hemophilia A, also known as factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia is largely an inherited bleeding disorder in which one of the proteins needed to form blood clots in the body is missing or reduced. Hemophilia A is the most common type of hemophilia and is characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding, especially into the muscles, joints, or internal organs. Approximately 400,000 people around the world have hemophilia A.
About Bayer HealthCare AG
Bayer HealthCare AG is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry, and based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The Pharmaceuticals division is called Bayer Schering Pharmaceuticals except in the United States and Canada, where it is called Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. The division comprises the following business units: Women’s Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging, General Medicine, which includes Cardiology, Primary Care, and Specialty Medicine, which includes Hematology, Oncology, and Multiple Sclerosis. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. The products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our annual and interim reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
CONTACT: Sreejit Mohan of Bayer HealthCare, +1-510-705-5477
Web site: http://www.kogenatefs.com/
