Product Donation and Program Support Increases Access to Advanced Therapies for People with Hemophilia around the World

 

DEERFIELD, Ill., April 17, 2008 – In recognition of World Hemophilia Day on April 17, Baxter Healthcare Corporation announced it has donated over 600,000 units of recombinant factor VIII to the World Federation of Hemophilia’s (WFH’s) Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) program. Baxter is a founding sponsor of GAP, a 10-year program that began in 2003 with the goal to increase diagnosis and treatment of people with hemophilia by 50,000 worldwide. Globally, since GAP’s inception, 41,395 new patients with bleeding disorders have been diagnosed, including 31,189 with hemophilia.

 

“We are grateful for Baxter’s ongoing support of the GAP program,” said Mark Skinner, president of the World Federation of Hemophilia. “This donation of recombinant factor VIII will help improve care where it is greatly needed and bring us closer to achieving the WFH’s vision of ‘Treatment for All’.”

 

Without adequate treatment, many people with hemophilia die before they reach adulthood.¹ With access to advanced therapies, people with hemophilia have a life expectancy of more than 60 years. To increase life expectancy and enhance quality of life, GAP has identified several priorities -- diagnosis, access to care and training of healthcare professionals.

 

“We wholly support WFH's vision of 'Treatment for All'," said David Holliday, vice president of Baxter’s global hemophilia business. “The GAP program takes a unique approach to ensuring resources are invested for the most beneficial return, which is why Baxter is proud to be a founding sponsor of GAP, and looks forward to continued support of this important cause.”

 

In addition to donating product to the GAP program, Baxter offices around the world are working to provide access to adequate care for patients with hemophilia through local programs.

 

GAP’s Progress¹

 

WFH’s ultimate goal with GAP is to increase the diagnosis and improve the treatment of people with hemophilia in up to 30 developing countries over 10 years. Participating countries include: Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Ecuador; Egypt; Georgia; Jordan; Lebanon; Mexico; the Philippines; Russia; Thailand; and Tunisia . Program focus areas and corresponding milestones include:

• The care delivery system
  • Identified more than 8,000 new hemophilia patients and 500 new patients with von Willebrand disease and rare bleeding disorders
  • Trained/educated more than 6,000 healthcare professionals, regulators and hemophilia team members
  • Increased knowledge of hemophilia,a highly underdiagnosed and undertreated condition in developing countries

• Quality and quantity of treatment products
  • Assured broader access to a high standard of care through agreements with nine governments and WFH
    • Increased resources by up to 120 percent for hemophilia care and treatments
    • Improved laboratory diagnostic standards in 65 centers across the globe

• Medical expertise and diagnosis
  • Standardized treatment protocols by publishing Guidelines for the Management of Hemophilia, the first international guidelines for hemophilia care

• National hemophilia organizations
  • Motivated hemophilia communities by encouraging countries to strengthen their national organizations and recruit newly or already-diagnosed people with hemophilia

 

About Hemophilia A

 

People with hemophilia A do not produce adequate amounts of factor VIII, which is necessary for blood to effectively clot. If untreated, patients with severe hemophilia A have a greatly reduced life expectancy. According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, more than 400,000 people in the world have hemophilia.

 

Baxter Hemophilia Research and Development

 

Baxter is a global leader in hemophilia therapy, with innovations that span 40 years. Through its own scientific expertise and strategic partnerships, Baxter is applying novel technologies that will pioneer the next generation of hemophilia therapies. Baxter’s goal is to greatly enhance treatment convenience through therapies that require fewer injections and offer non-intravenous dosing alternatives.

 

About Baxter

 

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists healthcare professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives.

 

¹Statistics provided by World Federation of Hemophilia