Octapharma Donates 30.5 Million International Units of Its Medicine Nuwiq to Treat People with Haemophilia in Developing Countries

Octapharma is pleased to announce the completion of a charitable donation of 30.5 million international units of its human cell-line derived recombinant factor VIII product, Nuwiq®, in collaboration with Project SHARE, North Andover, Massachusetts (USA).
Up to 75% of the world’s estimated 400,000 people with haemophilia have little or no access to treatment that resolves life- and limb-threatening bleeds, and enables surgery and rehabilitation. A humanitarian program, Project SHARE facilitates the donation of blood-clotting factor products for the treatment of people with haemophilia in need of factor replacement therapy in countries where these medicines are scarce or still unavailable.
Over the last nine months, donations of Nuwiq® have been reaching seriously ill people in need in 16 countries: Armenia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Kenya, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Philippines, Romania and Venezuela.
“We are deeply grateful to Octapharma for allowing us the privilege to serve those with haemophilia in developing countries who have limited or no access to treatment. These donations are saving lives,” said Laureen A. Kelley, the founder of Project SHARE.
“Octapharma has been committed to improving the lives of people with Haemophilia A since 1983. We are glad to continue our donation initiatives, providing access to patients with haemophilia in countries with little to no access to therapy,” remarked Olaf Walter, Board Member at Octapharma AG in Lachen, Switzerland.
“The haemophilia factor concentrates are used on patients suffering from serious joint and musculoskeletal complications and life-threatening bleeds,” said Walter Mwanda, Patron of the Kenya Haemophilia Association. “Assistance to one you do not know is great, and to a child is even greater. The Kenyans, mainly children living with haemophilia, thank you very much.”
“We cannot thank Octapharma and Project SHARE enough to for being so kind and generous,” said Suraksha Mani, of the Nepal Haemophilia Society. “We had limited factor stock when we received the Nuwiq® delivery. People in rural areas now have better access to factor concentrate. We believe this donation has already made positive changes in the lives of many people with haemophilia in Nepal. It has been life-saving and is helping to prevent disabilities.”
“This donation of Nuwiq® will help families with haemophilia in Honduras,” said Maria del Carmen of the Honduran Haemophilia Society. “The use of this medicine will serve families because their children and young people will have factor doses in their homes and therefore not miss classes in their schools and universities.”
Antonia Luque, Venezuelan Association for Haemophilia, added “We are currently going through a crisis for which we do not have the medicines that people need. There are currently 2185 people living with haemophilia A in Venezuela. Please accept our gratitude for such a valuable donation that will come to relieve cases of our population who are suffering from haemophilia A.”