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`Canadian Scientists Honored for Role in Breakthrough
`Drug
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`NEWS PROVIDED BY
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`Cooley's Anemia Foundation
`Jun 08, 2017, 08:00 ET
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`NEW YORK, June 8, 2017 /CNW/ —— Two Toronto scientists who spearheaded the
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`research that brought a life—saving drug to patients around the world are being
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`honored at the annual Cooley's Anemia Foundation Gala tonight in New York City. Drs.
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`Michael Spino and Fernando Tricta will jointly receive the Humanitarian of the Year
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`Award for their work on deferiprone (FerriproxTM), the first oral medication used to treat
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`iron overload caused by blood transfusions in people with certain hereditary red blood
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`cell disorders (thalassemia syndromes).
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`Prior to the approval of FerriproxTM, many patients died from cardiac failure and other
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`complications from iron overload, as well as the inadequacy of the only existing
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`treatment. Patients also suffered a significant burden on their quality of life due to the
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`need of a treatment process that required lifelong, daily 8-12 hour injections to remove
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`excess iron from the body.
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`http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-scientists—honored-for-role-in-breakthrough-drug-627205651.html
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`8/23/2017
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`Apotex Tech.
`Ex. 2014
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`Apotex Tech.
`Ex. 2014
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`Canadian Scientists Honored for Role in Breakthrough Drug
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`in making this announcement, Anthony Viola, National President of the Cooley's
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`Anemia Foundation Board of Directors, said, "Doctors Spino and Tricta are true heroes
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`in the thalassemia community. Their efforts have led directly to prolonging the lives of
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`our patients and enhancing the quality of their lives. We are so grateful that they have
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`agreed to let us publically acknowledge them."
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`"it is humbling to have this honor bestowed on us, but the impact that this drug has
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`had on so many lives would not have been possible without the unwavering support of
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`Dr. Barry Sherman, the Founder of Apotex," said Dr. Spino. "To this day, we still receive
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`personal, touching stories from patients living with thalassemia, telling us how this
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`drug has positively changed their lives."
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`Co-recipient of the award is Dr. Fernando Tricta, a pediatric hematologist who was
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`instrumental in the clinical studies for the assessment of the safety and efficacy of
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`deferiprone in his pursuit of better treatment options for people with thalassemia.
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`Almost 20 years after its first approval, he still reflects on his first experiences with the
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`drug. "When I first started treating patients with this drug on a compassionate basis, I
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`could not believe the improved quality of life it had versus the available treatment at
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`the time. Now we have deferiprone being recognized by the American Heart
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`Association for its effectiveness in removing excess iron from the heart, which was the
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`main cause of death in transfused patients with thalassemia."
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`The Cooley's Anemia Foundation is also honoring Dino Philippou, recipient of the 2017
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`Young Leadership Award, an exceptional young man who has become not only a
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`successful restaurateur but also an inspiring and untiring philanthropist and activist for
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`the Foundation and other causes. Mr. Philippou also happens to be a thalassemia
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`patient.
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`http://www.newswire. ca/news-releases/canadian-scientists-honored-for-role—in—breakthrough-drug-62720565 1.htm1
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`8/23/2017
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`According to Mr. Viola, "Dino is a great benefactor and friend of Cooley's Anemia
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`Foundation. The fact that he is also a patient is almost coincidental and we would
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`honor him anyway because of his support for our cause. We are happy to acknowledge
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`him with this award."
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`Dino Philippou says, ""I am so happy to accept this recognition from Cooley's Anemia
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`Foundation because they have been so instrumental in improving the lives of all of us
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`with this disorder."
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`The 2017 Gala Chairman, Frank Fusaro, President, The Forum Group; Chairman,
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`Columbus Citizens Foundation; and Member of the Board of Directors of Cooley's
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`Anemia Foundation announced, "Your support of our efforts on behalf of our patients
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`and their families is very appreciated. Pleasejoin us on June 8th to help us honor these
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`deserving individuals and to meet some of the members of our thalassemia family and
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`many of us who support them.
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`I hope to see you there!"
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`For more information or to arrange an interview with Anthony Viola, Dr. Fernando Tricta
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`or a patient with thalassemia, please contact:
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`Henry Ackermann
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`hackermann@thalassemia.org
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`(212) 279—8090 Ext. 204
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`For further information about the 2017 Cooley's Anemia Foundation Gala and for'
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`information about tickets for the June 8th event visit the Cooley's Anemia Foundation
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`website http://www.thalassemia.org or e-mail darlene©suffolkcaf.com.
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`About Cooley's Anemia Foundation: Since 1954, the mission of Cooley's Anemia
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`Foundation is to increase life expectancy and enhance the quality of life for those
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`impacted by thalassemia, a class of genetic blood disorders, most of which require
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`http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-scientists-honored~for-ro1e-in-breakthrough-drug-627205651.htm1
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`8/23/2017
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`regular blood transfusions and aggressive management of chronic iron overload, the
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`predominant cause of early death. We do so by funding medical research to advance
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`treatment and curative approaches, by supporting and advising patients and their
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`families and advocating on their behalf, and by educating medical professionals and
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`the general public. Every day, we strive for longer and healthier lives for all patients
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`with thalassemia until a universal cure is found.
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`About FerriproxTM: The first oral iron chelator used to treat iron overload caused by
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`blood transfusions in people with certain hereditary red blood cell disorders
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`(thalassemia). Prior to the approval of FerriproxT'V', many patients died from cardiac
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`failure and other complications from iron overload, as well as the inadequacy of the
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`only existing treatment. Patients also suffered a significant burden on their quality of
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`life due to the need for a treatment process that required lifelong, daily 8—12 hour
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`treatments using an infusion pump to remove excess iron from the body. FerriproxTM
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`has been used to treat patients for almost 30 years and was first approved in Europe
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`almost 20 years ago. It is now approved in more than 60 countries.
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`Endnotes: Quotes from thought leaders on the occasion of Drs. Spino and Tricta
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`receiving this award.
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`"Due to many scientific and economic issues, deferiprone needed a strong
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`commitment from an ’illuminated and high-spirited“ developer, or it would have
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`remained an inaccessible orphan drug. Michael threw his heart into the process,
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`brushing aside all the obstacles, and responding to the patients' needs and the request
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`of the medical and scientific community.
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`Determined to make this drug available to our patients, he not only took on its
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`economic and research challenges but also accepted a great deal of Italian
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`bureaucracy and regulatory burdens. Fernando strongly contributed to the clinical
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`http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-scientists-honored-for-r0Ie-in-breakthrough-drug-62720565 1 .html
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`8/23/2017
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`research on deferiprone. He solidified and strengthened collaborations with clinicians
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`and researchers. Remarkably, he always acted as part of the patient community,
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`completely involved in their needs, fears, and hopes!
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`Thanks to this, the ltalian population was provided with a new drug which reduced the
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`patients' morbidity and, overall, the cardiac mortality."
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`Prof. Adriana Ceci
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`Gianni Benzi Pharmacological Research Foundation- President
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`CVBF- TEDDY Scientific Director
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`"Congratulations to Michael and Fernando, who had the vision to recognize the
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`potential of deferiprone and the need for properly conducted clinical trials so that it
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`could be licensed. Despite enormous obstacles and the need for major financial
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`investment, their vision and tenacity has resulted in FerriproxTM now being available to
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`patients worldwide, including in North America. With deferiprone proven to be the
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`best chelating drug for extracting iron from the heart, its widespread availability has
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`changed the lives of many.”
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`Victor Hoffbrand
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`Professor A.V. Hoffbrand
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`Emeritus Professor of Haematologyl
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`University College, London
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`SOURCE Cooley's Anemia Foundation
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`Organization Profile
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`http://www.newswire.ca/news—releases/canadian—scientists-honored-for-r0le—in—breakthrough—drug—62720565 1.htm1
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`8/23/2017
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`Canadian Scientists Honored for Role in Breakthrough Drug
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`Cooley's Anemia Foundation
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`http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-scientists~honored-for—role~in~breakthrough-drug-62720565 1.ht1nl
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`8/23/2017
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