Incyte Joins Patient Organizations Worldwide in Recognition of Rare Disease Day 2016 to Make Patient Voices Heard
February 29, 2016, commemorates International Rare Disease Day
Incyte Corporation supports efforts to raise awareness and improve
diagnosis and treatment for the nearly 200,000 people in the United
States with MPNs, a group of rare blood cancers
MPN Heroes® 2016 nominations now open for
submission
WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq: INCY) joins the European Organization for
Rare Diseases (EURODIS), the National Organization for Rare Disorders
(NORD) and other rare disease health organizations and advocates in
recognizing the ninth annual Rare Disease Day 2016.
“Rare Disease Day offers a time for patients, physicians, caregivers and
advocates to join together to honor those with rare diseases across the
globe, among them an estimated 200,000 individuals in the U.S. living
with a group of rare blood cancers known as myeloproliferative neoplasms
(MPNs),” said Steven Stein, Chief Medical Officer, Incyte Corporation.
MPNs are a closely related group of progressive blood cancers that can
strike anyone at any age. MPNs occur when the bone marrow cells that
produce the body’s blood cells develop and function abnormally. The
three main MPNs are myelofibrosis (MF), polycythemia vera (PV) and
essential thrombocythemia (ET).
This year’s Rare Disease Day theme, Patient Voice, highlights the
impact patient voices have on quality care and treatment and the
importance of patient and caregiver voices in the broader community to
raise awareness for rare diseases. In keeping with this theme, Incyte
shares story highlights from three patients from our “Voices of MPN”
program.
“One of the first things I would tell someone who is newly diagnosed
with a rare disease, is to be your own advocate,” shares Aimee Akins, a
PV patient and advocate. “I was diagnosed in October 2013 with
polycythemia vera (PV). It was a long journey as I had been going to
doctors since 2008. It wasn’t until I became my own advocate and looked
into finding my own specialist that things really started to come
together for me.”
Rare Disease Day also provides an opportunity to honor patients,
doctors, caregivers, advocates and organizations that contribute to
bringing understanding, compassion and strength to those living with
MPNs through the MPN Heroes Recognition Program 2016. Now in its fifth
year, the MPN Heroes program, sponsored by Incyte in collaboration with
CURE Media Group, publishers of CURE® magazine,
recognizes individuals and organizations who have contributed to the MPN
community by going above and beyond to make a real difference. Our goal
is to create as many opportunities as possible for people with MPNs to
be heard and to be supported, so more solutions and treatment options
will emerge. Nominations for the 2016 MPN Heroes program are now being
accepted online and via email until September 8, 2016. Visit www.MPNHeroes.com
for more details.
Share Your Voice and Find More Resources at Voices
of MPN:
The Voices
of MPN website features patients and caregivers sharing their
stories; links to disease information, educational programs and patient
support groups; and a “Raise
Your Voice” Toolkit which provides tips on how to help spread
awareness within the community.
Stay connected and informed with all of the MPN awareness activities
happening throughout September by “Liking” the “Voices
of MPN” Facebook page or following “Voices
of MPN” on Pinterest.
About Incyte
Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Delaware-based biopharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of
proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please
visit the Company’s web site at www.incyte.com.
Contacts
Media
Incyte Corporation
Catalina Loveman,
+1-302-498-6171
cloveman@incyte.com
or
Elliot
Fox, +1-212-257-6724
efox@w2ogroup.com
