In celebration of World Hemophilia Day on April 17th, Bayer HealthCare donates €250,000 to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and more than 950,000 international units of Kogenate® FS (Antihemophilic Factor [Recombinant]). With these donations Bayer renews its commitment to the hemophilia community. Over the past four years, Bayer has contributed more than €1,000,000 to the WFH. With the annual World Hemophilia Day, the WHF aims to increase the awareness of, and promote support for, the needs of people around the world living with hemophilia.
"Today, in celebration of World Hemophilia Day, Bayer reaffirms its commitment to advance hemophilia care around the world so that patients can enjoy a high quality of life," said Dr. Gunnar Riemann, member of the Executive Committee of Bayer HealthCare. "We are extremely pleased to support WFH and to celebrate the incredible strides made in hemophilia care in the past two decades. We look forward to continuing our tradition of providing innovative products and services that help people live the lives they choose."
Bayer's annual contributions have helped support the WFH's treatment, care and education initiatives. These include the Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) initiative, a program to increase the diagnosis and treatment of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, and the International Hemophilia Nursing Fellowship Program, which provides state-of-the-art hemophilia education and training to nurses in developing countries. Bayer is the sole sponsor of the Nursing Fellowship Program.
"The WFH is grateful to Bayer for all of its support, which helps us increase awareness of hemophilia and improve access to care for patients around the world," said Mark Skinner, president of the World Federation of Hemophilia. "With Bayer as a committed partner to the hemophilia community, we can make great progress in achieving our common vision of 'Treatment For All.'"
This year, the annual celebration of WFH's World Hemophilia Day coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Kogenate product line, Bayer's hemophilia A treatments. Through science-based research and innovations in biotechnology, Bayer is committed to improving the quality of life of patients with hemophilia.
"Live. Work. Play." - Bayer has chosen this motto as its overarching theme for World Hemophilia Day, highlighting that effective treatment options positively affect patients' lives. On this day, Bayer offices around the world are hosting events and partnering with local patient organizations to raise awareness about the disease.
Over the years, Bayer has demonstrated its commitment to the global hemophilia community in many additional ways, including:
- Donating products to countries to help provide medical care to people with hemophilia A, as exemplified in September 2007, when Bayer donated Kogenate FS (Antihemophilic Factor [Recombinant]) to help avert a humanitarian crisis in China.
- Funding hemophilia research and education around the world through the Bayer Hemophilia Awards Program (BHAP). Now in its sixth year, BHAP has given out more than 100 awards totaling more than USD13 million to researchers and caregivers around the world.
- Supporting leadership training programs such as Step Up, Reach Out and the National Youth Leadership Institute to help develop the next generation of advocates within the bleeding disorders community.
The activities for hemophilia patients are part of the social engagement of the Bayer Group. Bayer sees itself as a part of society and wants to contribute to solving social problems and overcoming global challenges as a good coporate citizen. Together with various partners, Bayer HealthCare has engaged in a multitude of projects aiming at the improvement of health care worldwide. This includes better access to medicines, educational programs and the support of research activities.
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, the most common type of hemophilia, is caused by deficient or defective
blood coagulation proteins, known as factor VIII. Hemophilia A 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 Kogenate® FS/KOGENATE® Bayer
Kogenate FS (Antihemophilic Factor [Recombinant]) / KOGENATE Bayer (Recombinant Coagulation Factor VIII [octocog alfa]) is a recombinant factor VIII treatment indicated for the treatment of hemophilia A. The safety, efficacy and overall reliability of the Kogenate line of products are based on 20 years of clinical experience. Clinical data shows that KOGENATE Bayer (rFVIII) provided excellent hemostatic control, was well tolerated, and has a proven safety profile in patients with hemophilia A.
KOGENATE Bayer is manufactured at Bayer's state-of-the-art biotechnology facility in Berkeley, California.
About Bayer HealthCare
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma AG.
Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.
Bayer Schering Pharma is a worldwide leading specialty pharmaceutical company. Its research and business activities are focused on the following areas: Diagnostic Imaging, Hematology/Cardiology, Oncology, Primary Care, Specialized Therapeutics and Women's Healthcare. With innovative products, Bayer Schering Pharma aims for leading positions in specialized markets worldwide. Using new ideas, Bayer Schering Pharma aims to make a contribution to medical progress and strives to improve the quality of life. Find more information at www.bayerscheringpharma.de.