LEO Pharma Puts Patients at the Heart of Innovation

BALLERUP, Denmark, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

LEO Pharma announces a co-creation agreement with the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) in the United States that puts patients at the heart of LEO Pharma's innovation process. The move supports the dermatology company's aim to develop future care solutions that address patients' real-life needs.

The co-creation agreement with the US National Psoriasis Foundation aims to ensure that the needs of people suffering from psoriasis play a central role in the development of LEO Pharma's future psoriasis care solutions. Ultimately, LEO Pharma hopes that its agreement with NPF will pave the way for improved care solutions that empower people to better manage their psoriasis.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130221/595427 )

"Patients have unique insights into their condition. That is why we are involving patients as active participants in our innovation process. In order to make a difference to the everyday lives of people with skin conditions, we want to gain an understanding of their challenges - and work together to find solutions," says Kim Kjoeller, Senior Vice President Global Development, LEO Pharma.  

The co-creation agreement is the latest step in LEO Pharma's approach to patient care innovation. This approach - where the pharmaceutical industry joins forces with external partners, such as patient organisations - is gaining increasing recognition internationally.  

"Healthcare research is at a crossroads. Developing new drugs for the many conditions that still lack a cure or effective treatment is a costly, complex and high-risk process, leading some pharmaceutical companies to give up on entire disease areas. LEO Pharma wants to involve patients in shaping future care solutions," adds Kim Kjoeller.

Co-creation with plaque psoriasis patients

LEO Pharma's co-creation with NPF, which begins on 23 March, is based on the creation of Psoriasis Frontiers, a group of patients who will meet with LEO Pharma researchers during a series of workshops. The patients will become an integrated part of LEO Pharma's innovation process and focus on investigating needs, testing new care concepts and exploring new solutions. The first task will be to consider patient needs in relation to new formulations, devices and packaging.

The Psoriasis Frontiers group will focus both on conventional pharmaceutical product innovation and on individualised care solutions such as patient engagement concepts, access models, diagnostic tools and digital technologies. Psoriasis Frontiers will act as a sounding board, working only with concepts and not with marketed products. Specific research findings will be subject to confidentiality; however, partners are committed to publishing non-competitive findings to the general public.

"National Psoriasis Foundation recognises the need for patient insight into research and treatment development. This collaboration will allow people living with the disease to meet face-to-face with scientists creating the cutting-edge therapies they may use in their everyday life," says Kathleen Gallant, chair of the National Psoriasis Foundation Outreach Committee and member of its Board of Trustees.

"Who better to discuss product innovation and patient care than people affected by the disease? Hopefully this 'patient-focused' research concept becomes a trend that creates new opportunities."

About LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma helps people achieve healthy skin. By offering care solutions to patients in more than 100 countries globally, the company supports people in managing their skin conditions.

Founded in 1908 and owned by the LEO Foundation, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to delivering products and solutions to people suffering from skin diseases.

LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark and employs around 5,000 people worldwide.

For more information, visit http://www.leo-pharma.com.

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest non-profit organisation serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education.

For more information, call the National Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at +1-800-723-9166, or visit http://www.psoriasis.org. Follow the National Psoriasis Foundation on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/national.psoriasis.foundation) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/npf).

SOURCE LEO Pharma A/S