RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (April 15, 2004) — Bayer Biological Products (BP) today announced a $40,000 (£22,000) grant to the World Federation of Haemophilia (WFH) in support of EQAS, a new programme promoting improved standards of laboratory performance and practice in haemophilia treatment centers worldwide. A joint WFH-World Health Organization (WHO) effort, EQAS is being launched to improve and standardize laboratory diagnosis in haemophilia treatment centres around the world. It includes collaboration with the United Kingdom ’s National External Quality Assessment Scheme (U.K. NEQAS) for Blood Coagulation, based in Sheffield . Bayer BP is making this grant as part of its tradition of recognizing World Haemophilia Day, celebrated annually on 17^th April  to further demonstrate its unwavering commitment to improving care for people living with haemophilia.

By establishing EQAS, WFH is aiming to create a “universal standard” for laboratory testing in haemophilia. The Sheffield Centre, which will administer the programme on behalf of WFH, will work with individual centres to ensure their laboratory practices are on par with the universal standard. “Since fewer than 30 percent of people with haemophilia are diagnosed, improving laboratory diagnosis is a key priority for WFH,” said Brian O’Mahony, WFH president. “We are extremely grateful to Bayer BP for once again stepping forward to help support an unmet need for the global bleeding disorders community.”

“Our support of this programme is consistent with our commitment to add to the body of knowledge that will improve the state of care of people living with haemophilia,” said Michael E. Mathews, vice president, global strategic marketing, coagulation, Bayer Biological Products division. “By announcing this support in conjunction with World Haemophilia Day, we hope to generate increased understanding of haemophilia, while reinforcing our long-standing relationship with WFH and support for the global haemophilia community.”

Under EQAS, participating centres will receive lyophilized plasma samples three times a year. Laboratories at those centres will perform coagulation tests on these samples and send the results to Sheffield where a statistical analysis will determine consistency of these testing results across individual laboratories. The program also offers participating centres advisory and educational support, as needed. To date, 58 centers worldwide have enrolled in the programme, with several more expressing keen interest.

From making product donations to supporting global initiatives, such as the Global Alliance for Progress (GAP), to sponsoring educational programmes and services, Bayer BP continues to lead the industry in supporting the global haemophilia community. Bayer BP also remains steadfast in its commitment to shaping the future of haemophilia care, particularly in the areas of safety and convenience that translate into demonstrable improvements in the lives of patients. Recognizing that barriers to compliance and therapeutic efficacy exist with products or treatment regimens that are difficult to learn and use, Bayer BP expects to launch a new needleless device that includes a prefilled syringe for the reconstitution and use of  KOGENATE^® Bayer (Antihemophilic Factor [Recombinant], Formulated with Sucrose) later this year. Bayer BP is also pioneering research into the next generation of care through the Bayer Haemophilia Awards programme. Additionally, Bayer BP leads the industry in advancing scientific knowledge through innovative clinical research into areas such as quality of life, prophylaxis, and inhibitor formation. Furthermore, research programmes continue in gene therapy offering the potential for a cure for haemophilia B and development of a next-generation Kogenate^® product designed to offer less frequent dosing in haemophilia A.

About Haemophilia

Approximately 400,000 people around the world have haemophilia. Haemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding, especially into the muscles, joints, or internal organs. The disease is caused by deficient or defective blood coagulation proteins, known as factor VIII or IX. The most common form of the disease is haemophilia A, or classic haemophilia, in which the clotting factor VIII is either deficient or defective. Haemophilia B is characterized by deficient or defective factor IX.

 
(21/4/04)