DKSH Hong Kong Sponsors Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Care Foundation toProvide Free ADAMTS13 Tests 

DKSH Hong Kong is the sole sponsor for the program which aims to help patients shorten the diagnostic time and to precisely trace for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS).

Media release

Hong Kong, August 24, 2021 – DKSH, the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia and beyond, is providing full sponsorship through Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Care Foundation (HKPCF) to qualifying patients taking ADAMTS13 diagnostic tests. This is a fixed quota program and is opened for application until March 31, 2022.

aHUS is a rare life-threatening and aggressive disorder, primarily caused by inherited or acquired abnormalities of proteins involved in controlling the complement cascade of our immune system. aHUS is characterized with manifestations of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), which includes damages and blockages of small blood vessels, leading to blood cell destruction and multiorgan disfunctions, predominantly the kidneys.¹ ADAMTS13 activity assay is commonly performed to diagnosis or exclude thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a condition which also present with TMA.²

This sponsorship program is a collaborative result between the rare disease unit of DKSH Hong Kong Business Unit Healthcare and HKPCF. Established in 2020, the team has been taking up four key roles: introducing new medical treatment, improving patients' accessibility, participating in government, associations and stakeholders' liaisons, and running general public awareness.

Ms. S. C. Chiang, the Director at HKPCF said, "At HKPCF, one of our missions is to provide assistance to needy patients to improve their accessibility to prompt diagnosis, and to obtain the right treatment to relieve their health burden. Through collaboration with various partners, our service will be better facilitated and appreciated."

Wai Ting Fong, Head of Management and Vice President of Healthcare, Hong Kong & Macau, is proud of the support, “The sponsorship is truly reflecting our Business Unit Healthcare's mission ‘healthcare for all'. Rare disease patients need to constantly face the challenges to locate the available treatment and seek financial aids at the same time. It is truly our first step to support them through this program.”

The eligibility criteria for the subsidy are announced on HKPCF website: http://www.pcfhk.org/en/pharmacy?id=38

Remarks:

1. Pugh D, O'Sullivan ED, Duthie FAI, Masson P, Kavanagh D. Interventions for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2021;2021(3):.

2. Goodship THJ, Cook HT, Fakhouri F, et al. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy: conclusions from a “Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes” (KDIGO) Controversies Conference. Kidney Int. 2016;91(3):539–551.

For further information, please contact:

DKSH Business Unit Healthcare

Sheena Flannery

Director, Group Communications

Phone +66 2 220 9739

sheena.flannery@dksh.com

DKSH Hong Kong

Astrid Lo

Manager, Branding & Communications

Phone +852 2895 9610

astrid.lo@dksh.com