Roche joins the World Federation of Hemophilia Humanitarian Aid Program

The following is an excerpt from a press release from Roche. Read it in its entirety here.

Roche today announced that it has joined the World Federation of Hemophilia Humanitarian Aid Program, a landmark initiative leading the effort to change the lack of access to care and treatment for people with inherited bleeding disorders in developing countries. Together with Chugai and Genentech, members of the Roche Group, Roche’s commitment to the WFH Program consists of a donation of Hemlibra^® (emicizumab), a prophylactic treatment for haemophilia A, and funding to deliver the WFH Program’s integrated care development training to ensure that local infrastructure and medical expertise are available to optimise and appropriately use the donated Hemlibra.
The donation will provide prophylactic treatment with Hemlibra to as many as 1,000 people with haemophilia A in developing countries, over the course of five years, with a focus on high-need patients, such as people of all ages with factor VIII inhibitors and children without factor VIII inhibitors. Access to prophylactic treatment – the standard of care for haemophilia A to prevent bleeds in most of the developed world – is particularly restricted in developing countries, with limited resources reserved for emergency situations and acute bleeds.^{[1, 2]} The WFH Humanitarian Aid Program currently provides prophylactic treatment to approximately 1,500 people with haemophilia A.
“Thanks to Roche’s donation, significantly more people with haemophilia A will be able to receive prophylaxis through the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program. Importantly, the donation will also provide a treatment option for people with haemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors who previously had very limited or no treatment,” said Alain Weill, WFH President. “Increasing access to prophylactic treatments can make a profound difference in countries where haemophilia A remains underdiagnosed and untreated.”
Most people with haemophilia in developing countries receive no or inadequate treatment, which significantly affects their health, quality of life and life expectancy. Children with severe haemophilia in countries where there is no access to treatment often do not survive to adulthood.^[3]
“We are proud to join the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program, a landmark initiative leading the effort to change the lack of access to care and treatment for people with inherited bleeding disorders in developing countries,” said Bill Anderson, CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals. “Our partnership with the WFH reflects our commitment to the haemophilia community and to supporting rapid, broad and sustainable access to Hemlibra for all people with haemophilia A around the world who may benefit from this important treatment option.”
 
Read it in its entirety here.