TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --
Understand AD program brings together a
team of experts to help a teen with severe atopic dermatitis (AD)
and his parents navigate the disease
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and
Sanofi, in partnership with the National Eczema Association (NEA),
today launched the next phase of Understand AD, a disease
awareness initiative focused on educating about moderate-to-severe
atopic dermatitis (AD).
Teenagers face many challenges, and growing up with AD can
impact the ups and downs and transitions to young adulthood even
harder. The new phase of Understand AD deploys a team of
experts – a dermatologist, psychotherapist and peer living with
severe AD, together known as The Understand AD Squad – into
the home of Isaiah Dixon, a
17-year-old who has been living with severe AD since he was two
years old. This experience with Isaiah and his family is shared
through a video series and downloadable resources on
www.UnderstandAD.com that aim to provide support to teens and their
families on how to navigate life with AD.
Like the 400,000 adolescents in the U.S. with uncontrolled
moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, Isaiah has lived with
debilitating, burdensome disease symptoms including intense,
persistent itching, skin lesions and skin dryness, cracking,
redness, crusting and oozing. AD flares are reported to impact
school life in 46 percent of 14-17 year-olds with the disease.
Teens reported missing an average of 26 days of school per year due
to flares.
The Dixon family has been impacted physically and mentally by
severe AD. Throughout his life, Isaiah's symptoms have caused
frequent hospitalizations, school absences and emotional stress for
him and his loved ones.
"Living with severe atopic dermatitis requires constant care. My
family has always helped me manage my disease," said Isaiah. "Like
many teens with atopic dermatitis, I know that I will need to start
taking care of my disease more independently as I get older. The
Understand AD Squad expanded my support system and helped me
become more independent in managing my atopic dermatitis."
The Understand AD Squad features eczema specialist
Dr. Mercedes E. Gonzalez,
psychotherapist Christine Triano,
MSW, LCSW and AD patient-peer Tyler
Berryman, who came together to each lend their unique
perspectives of AD to support teens and their families on their
journey.
"The Understand AD program aligns with NEA's commitment
to educating the public and supporting patients impacted by atopic
dermatitis, not only physically, but also emotionally," said
Julie Block, President and CEO,
National Eczema Association. "NEA wants teens living with this
disease and their families to know that they are not alone and that
NEA is committed to advocating for better care and treatments,
providing support and raising the level of awareness about this
serious, and often overlooked, disease."
Visit www.UnderstandAD.com to learn more about
moderate-to-severe AD, watch The Understand AD Squad films,
and download helpful resources for teens with AD, and their
caregivers.
About the Understand AD Squad
- Dr. Mercedes E.
Gonzalez is a pediatric dermatologist and Clinical
Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim
College of Medicine and at the University of
Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she serves as faculty
advisor for the dermatology interest group. As an Understand AD
Squad member, Dr. Gonzalez discusses the science behind AD and
how teens can address this with their doctor.
- Christine Triano, MSW,
LCSW is a psychotherapist and Director of Mental Health at
The Center for Connection in Pasadena,
California. As an Understand AD Squad member,
Christine highlights the emotional burden of moderate-to-severe AD
and the importance of communication among families who are battling
the disease.
- Tyler Berryman is a young
adult who has lived with severe AD since childhood. As an
Understand AD Squad member, Tyler shares the lessons he's
learned from managing AD most of his life, and why he's passionate
about helping other teens with the disease.
About Understand AD
Understand
AD launched in 2016 to empower and give a voice to people
living with this devastating disease. Previous programs include
A Day in the Life, which provided resources and a short
film, written and narrated by Peter
Moffat, award-winning screen writer and the Executive
Producer of the HBO series "The Night Of", that demonstrated the
helplessness and desperation those suffering with AD feel every
day.
The Understand AD Squad video series is the next
phase of this initiative, targeted to adolescents with AD and their
caregivers. Through insights from The Understand AD Squad
experts, Isaiah and his family, and NEA's Teen Steering Committee,
the program shines a light on the everyday burdens that teens with
AD and their caregivers face managing the disease, and ways to
navigate these struggles.
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Regeneron
(NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents
life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases.
Founded and led for 30 years by physician-scientists, our unique
ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into
medicine has led to seven FDA-approved treatments and numerous
product candidates in development, all of which were homegrown in
our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help
patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases,
cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, infectious diseases,
pain and rare diseases.
Regeneron is accelerating and improving the traditional drug
development process through our proprietary
VelociSuite® technologies, such as
VelocImmune® which produces optimized fully-human
antibodies, and ambitious research initiatives such as the
Regeneron Genetics Center, which is conducting one of the largest
genetics sequencing efforts in the world.
For additional information about the company, please visit
www.regeneron.com or follow @Regeneron on Twitter.
About Sanofi
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people
through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical
company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines,
provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We
stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions
with long-term chronic conditions.
With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is
transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around
the globe.
Sanofi, Empowering Life
About the National Eczema Association
Founded in
1988, the National Eczema Association (NEA) is the sole patient
advocacy organization serving people with eczema in the United States. NEA works to improve the
health and quality of life for individuals with eczema through
research, support, and education. In 2015, NEA created the Roadmap
to Advocacy, a refreshed organizational vision that would unify and
stand up for patients, to pull back the curtain on eczema, a long
silent and under-served disease, by revealing that the disease not
only damages the skin, but also breaks apart lives and still
further, poses serious public health risks. The strategic
priorities of the NEA Roadmap rest on five transformation keys;
break through negative stereotypes to promote understanding of
eczema and reduce burden of disease; equip medical practices for a
new era in eczema care; promote new models of care to better
leverage resources; support a research agenda of
high-value/high-yield projects; and, advocate for accessible and
affordable treatments for all eczema patients. For more information
about the National Eczema Association, visit
www.nationaleczema.org, contact at info@nationaleczema.org, or call
1-415-499-3474.
Regeneron Contact:
Media Relations
Sharon Chen
Tel: +1 (914)
847-1546
Sharon.Chen@regeneron.com
Sanofi Contacts:
Sanofi Media Relations
Ashleigh Koss
Tel: +1 (908) 981-8745
Ashleigh.Koss@sanofi.com
U.S. Communications
Clotilde Houze
Tel: +1 (617) 866-0616
Clotilde.Houze@sanofi.com
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SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.