Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. Partners With Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.

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Collaboration will expand patient education, strengthen community-based organizations and increase national awareness efforts

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) and Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. have announced a new partnership involving national awareness and patient education initiatives to address the complications of sickle cell disease (SCD).

Emmaus will provide unrestricted funding to provide educational materials for individuals living with SCD and their families to ensure that patients better understand the disease, treatment options and the importance of having comprehensive, coordinated medical care. The partnership also enhances national awareness efforts that will increase the dissemination of information to a broad audience through online platforms. Additionally, the partnership will help to strengthen SCDAA’s community-based member organizations by providing online tools to build capacity and better serve the sickle cell community. SCDAA’s member organizations ensure families have educational resources to gain knowledge of the disease, provide needed support services, host summer camps, support research and advocate on behalf of families for adequate treatment.

“The sickle cell community is diverse and includes pharmaceutical companies that are working to find better treatments and a universal cure for this disease,” said SCDAA president and CEO Beverley Francis-Gibson. “Emmaus has been researching sickle cell disease for more than two decades, and we are thrilled to have their continued support of the sickle cell community with this unique partnership to bolster SCDAA’s work with patient education and awareness initiatives.”

Sickle cell disease is a global health problem affecting millions of people around the world every day. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 Americans have SCD, and about 3,000,000 Americans have sickle cell trait. Each year, about 1,000 babies in the United States are born with SCD, and there is no universal cure for this life-threatening disease.

After many years of clinical research and development, Emmaus Medical received FDA approval for Endari™ (L-glutamine oral powder) for patients living with sickle cell disease. Endari is the first treatment in nearly 20 years to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adults, and was the first treatment approved for use in children five years and older.

“SCDAA has been a longtime champion for the sickle cell community. We are delighted to partner with them to bring new resources to the table to help ensure that individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease, local organizations around the United States, and the general public have the tools needed to improve the quality of life for the sickle cell community,” said Yutaka Niihara, MD, CEO and founder of Emmaus Life Sciences. “Our partnership represents another step forward in the fight to bring greater awareness and treatment options to the sickle cell community.”

INDICATION

ENDARI is indicated to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients 5 years of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

The most common adverse reaction (incidence >10%) in clinical studies were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremity, back pain, and chest pain.

Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation included 1 case each of hypersplenism, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, burning sensation, and hot flash.

The safety and efficacy of ENDARI in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease younger than 5 years of age has not been established.

You may report side effects to the FDA, Visit www.fda.gov/MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

You can also call Emmaus Medical, Inc. 1-855-725-0900

For full prescribing information please visit:

https://www.endarirx.com/Repository/Prescribing%20information.pdf

About the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc’s mission is: To advocate for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empower community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure. Visit: www.sicklecelldisease.org.

About Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.

Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative treatments and therapies primarily for rare and orphan disease. Its lead product, an oral pharmaceutical grade L-glutamine treatment that demonstrated positive clinical results in our completed Phase 3 clinical trial for sickle cell anemia and sickle ß0-thalassemia and subsequent FDA approval. Visit: http://www.emmausmedical.com/.

About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disease, causes red blood cells to have a sickle-shape. With their stiffness and unusual shape, blood flow is blocked to different tissues, ultimately damaging them. These red blood cells contain an abnormal type of hemoglobin, hemoglobin S, while normal red blood cells have hemoglobin A. Hemoglobin is important to the body because it helps the body carry oxygen throughout the body. There is currently no cure.

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
Carole Bernard, 410-528-1555
Marketing and Communications Director
cbernard@sicklecelldisease.org
443-538-1565 (c)

Source: Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.

Released June 19, 2018