Grifols Donates 140 Million International Units of Blood Clotting Factors to the World Federation of Hemophilia Humanitarian Aid Program
Helping treat tens-of-thousands of patients in developing countries; renewing partnership with WFH; reaffirming commitment to improving the lives of patients around the world
BARCELONA, Spain, April 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Grifols, S.A. (MCE:GRF, MCE:GRF.P and NASDAQ:GRFS) announced that it will donate a minimum of 140 million international units (IU) of blood clotting factor medicines (Factor VIII) to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) Humanitarian Aid Program over the next five (5) years. This announcement is a continuation of the Company's three-year commitment from 2014, bringing the total humanitarian aid commitment to more than 200M IU of Factor VIII over eight years. Grifols' direct contribution to the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program builds on the Company's participation in Project Recovery, which transforms previously unused cryoprecipitate from Canadian blood donors into medicines that treat hemophilia patients in developing countries.
For more than a decade Grifols has been a proud supporter of the WFH and its efforts to improve access to treatment of bleeding disorders around the world. The renewed partnership with WFH reaffirms Grifols' commitment to the global hemophilia community accounting for the Company's most significant contribution to the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program to date. According to the WFH, this donation of Factor VIII medicines will secure a projected average of 10,300 doses to treat approximately 6,000 patients per year in developing countries worldwide through 2021, where access to adequate treatment is often lacking or absent.
"Today, World Hemophilia Day represents ideal timing for Grifols to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to bleeding disorders and the hemophilia community," said Victor Grifols Roura, President of Grifols. "Our philosophy aligns fully with the mission of WFH, sharing a clear passion for providing adequate treatment for all patients regardless of where they live."
Grifols produces plasma-derived medicines to treat rare, chronic diseases such as hemophilia and also develops solutions for the diagnoses of bleeding disorders. The company plans to increase its production of blood clotting factor medicines to specifically meet its donation commitment to this program.
"Since its creation in 1996, the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program has benefitted more than 100,000 people in 90 countries. We are grateful for our contributors' commitment and support for our mission, such as Grifols, to improve the diagnosis and access to care for people with bleeding disorders who wouldn't otherwise receive the treatment they need. We have seen time and time again the dramatic positive impact on quality of life that such donations make on patients," said Alain Bauman, CEO, WFH, and Executive Director of WFH USA.
An estimated 400,000 people around the world have hemophilia, yet only 25% receive adequate treatment. Grifols' donation also supports the second decade of WFH's Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) program aimed at increasing the number of patients diagnosed and treated for bleeding disorders, particularly in the world's most impoverished countries.
For more information about WFH, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, go to http://www.wfh.org/.
About Grifols:
Grifols is a global healthcare company and industry leader with more than 75-year in the development of life-saving medicines derived from human plasma that treat many rare and chronic conditions. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of people around the world by producing treatments for patients and by providing hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare professionals the tools and resources they need to deliver expert medical care.
The company is present in more than 100 countries worldwide and its headquarters are located in Barcelona, Spain. Grifols is a leader in plasma collection with a network of over 170 plasma donation centers in the U.S., and is a leading producer of plasma-derived medicines.
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 134 countries and has official recognition from the World Health Organization. Visit WFH online at www.wfh.org.
WFH USA advances the global mission of the World Federation of Hemophilia in the United States.
About the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program
For many developing countries, product donations are often the only source of treatment product for patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. The WFH receives requests, many urgent in nature, from our national member organizations (NMOs) and from recognized hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) around the world. An increasing number of collaborators within the global bleeding disorders community have accepted the challenge of providing a sustainable and predictable supply of donated products. Through the donation by Bioverativ and Sobi to the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program of up to 500 million IUs within five years, the Grifols eight-year commitment totaling 200 million IUs, the three year agreement with CSL Behring for a total of 10 million IUs, and the agreement with Green Cross for 6 million IUs, there will now be a more predictable and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid donations to the global community. In addition, the continued efforts of the Canadian Blood Services, Biotest, and Grifols with Project Recovery allow for the manufacturing of clotting factor concentrates from previously discarded cryopaste which provide treatment products to countries most in need.
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