Celgene Release: First-Ever Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness Day Aims To Educate On Importance Of Early Diagnosis And Treatment

SUMMIT, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) have united to mark Wednesday, September 28^th as the first-ever Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) Awareness Day—a day dedicated to raising public awareness around the importance of recognition, diagnosis, and treatment. People are encouraged to join the movement at GoPsADay.com to learn factors associated with PsA, help spread the word via their social channels, and to stand up and be counted for those living with this disease.

“Celgene is committed to addressing the needs of people living with psoriatic arthritis, which means understanding every point of the patient journey from diagnosis to treatment”

More than 1 million Americans live with PsA, although this number may be higher given it is often underreported and misdiagnosed—particularly as symptoms are sometimes confused with other types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and reactive arthritis. Some factors associated with PsA include pitted fingernails, swollen fingers and toes, foot pain, joint stiffness and/or pain, and a personal or family history of psoriasis or arthritis.

Early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of psoriatic arthritis is critical for anyone living with the disease. Those who are experiencing any of the common symptoms of PsA should contact their healthcare provider.

“Psoriatic arthritis can present significant challenges to those living with the disease, including significant pain and swelling in joints that may impact a person’s activities of daily living,” said Madelaine Feldman, MD, rheumatologist. “While there is no cure, PsA can be managed, which is why it is critical for people to know the factors associated with PsA, talk with their healthcare provider to obtain the right diagnosis, and determine a treatment plan that works for them.”

“In 85 percent of PsA patients, psoriasis occurs before joint disease, so it is critical for psoriasis patients to understand factors associated with PsA,” said Randy Beranek, president and CEO, National Psoriasis Foundation. “Through these efforts and more, we hope to help improve understanding of the disease, decrease time to diagnosis, and stress the critical importance of early treatment to help lessen the impact on patients’ overall quality of life.”

PsA Awareness Day is dedicated to education, empowerment, and action for the PsA community. Here are some ways for people to get involved and show their support:

• Visit GoPsADay.com to access information and tools on diagnosis and guiding an active discussion with your healthcare provider.
• Help spread the word via social channels utilizing PsA Awareness Day social media toolkit assets, including a “5 Factors Associated With PsA” infographic and #PsADay16.

“Celgene is committed to addressing the needs of people living with psoriatic arthritis, which means understanding every point of the patient journey from diagnosis to treatment,” said Scott Smith, President, Global Inflammation & Immunology, Celgene. “These Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness Day efforts are just one step in addressing these needs and an important collective initiative to support the psoriatic community by recognizing those living with PsA, raising awareness of the factors associated with PsA, and providing much-needed education on the disease.”

To learn more about PsA and help spread the word about awareness day efforts, visit GoPsADay.com.

About National Psoriasis Foundation

National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is the world’s largest nonprofit serving those with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Our priority is to provide the information and services people need to take control of their condition, while increasing research to find a cure. In addition to serving more than 2.1 million people annually through our health education and advocacy initiatives, NPF has funded more than $13 million in psoriatic disease research grants and fellowships. Learn more about the National Psoriasis Foundation at www.psoriasis.org or call 800-723-9166. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Celgene

Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through next-generation solutions in protein homeostasis, immuno-oncology, epigenetics, immunology and neuro-inflammation. For more information, please visit www.celgene.com. Follow Celgene on Social Media: @Celgene, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

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© 2016 Celgene Corporation 08/16 USII-CELG160008c