VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH/TSX:AUP), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the global immunology market, today announced its support for World Lupus DayTM with activities focused on raising awareness of lupus nephritis (LN). In honor of the day, Aurinia is collaborating with The Mighty, a digital health community created to empower and connect people facing health challenges and disabilities. The collaboration will raise awareness of lupus nephritis, a serious comorbidity associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
SLE is a chronic, complex and often disabling disorder affecting an estimated 5 million people around the world, which are mostly women, according to the World Lupus Federation. LN is a debilitating and costly inflammation of the kidney that affects up to 50% of all SLE patients. If poorly controlled, LN can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a severe and potentially life-threatening condition that requires dialysis or a kidney transplant.
To raise awareness of LN, Aurinia is connecting patient advocate, Gabrielle Davis, with The Mighty on World Lupus Day to share her story “When Marriage Works Harder Because Your Kidneys Don’t.” Bringing to life the daily struggle of living with lupus and LN, Davis’ story, which includes links to patient resources, can be seen on The Mighty and its social channels throughout the month of May.
“Aurinia is proud to join the global lupus community to recognize and support this important initiative. We wanted to share Gabrielle’s inspiring story of the challenges of living with lupus nephritis on World Lupus Day to help shine a light on the nearly five million people worldwide who suffer from SLE,” said Richard M. Glickman, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Aurinia. “It is important for us to celebrate her determination to live her best life as well as show the courage and dedication patients living with LN demonstrate each day.”
In addition to Davis’ story, Aurinia is supporting a dedicated homepage within The Mighty with links to resources and stories for the Lupus community.
The Mighty collaboration follows the recent launch of ALL IN, an educational website Aurinia developed for people living with LN, which will add a new interactive tool in recognition of World Lupus Day and Lupus Awareness Month. The tool will provide an opportunity for those with LN to build and share their own personal story. The site also features information about LN, downloadable resources, helpful links, and personal stories and insights shared by people affected by the disease. To learn more about LN, visit ALL IN at www.allinforlupusnephritis.com.
About World Lupus Day
World Lupus Day is sponsored by the World Lupus Federation, a coalition of lupus patient organizations from around the world, united to improve the quality of life for people affected by lupus. Through coordinated efforts of its global affiliates, the World Lupus Federation works to create greater awareness and understanding of lupus, provide education and services to people living with the disease, and advocate on their behalf. Learn more at worldlupusfederation.org.
World Lupus Day serves to call attention to the impact that lupus has on people around the world. The annual observance focuses on the need for improved patient healthcare services, increased research into the causes of and cure for lupus, earlier diagnosis and treatment of lupus, and better epidemiological data on lupus globally. World Lupus Day serves to rally lupus organizations and people affected by the disease around the world for a common purpose of bringing greater attention and resources to efforts to end the suffering caused by this disabling and potentially fatal autoimmune disease
About Aurinia Pharmaceuticals
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are suffering from serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. The company is currently developing voclosporin, an investigational drug, for the potential treatment of lupus nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and Dry Eye Syndrome. The company is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia and focuses its development efforts globally. For further information, see our website at www.auriniapharma.com.
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