HAYWARD, Calif., June 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOR) today announced its sponsorship of the Lupus Foundation of America's (LFA) eight national office Walk to End Lupus Now™ events and its support of a variety of Lupus Awareness Month activities.
Questcor supported numerous lupus awareness, education and advocacy activities throughout the country during Lupus Awareness Month, which takes place each May. As a part of this effort, Questcor employees proudly wore purple on May 16 to show their support for people with lupus and raise awareness of the disease during the LFA's national "Put On Purple" (POP) Day. The company is also sponsoring the LFA's roster of national Walk to End Lupus Now events, part of the world's largest lupus walk program being held throughout the year.
"Questcor is excited to serve as a corporate sponsor of the Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now and was a proud supporter of their national Lupus Awareness Month programs," said Steve Cartt, Questcor's Chief Operating Officer. "We are pleased to support their research, education, and advocacy efforts focused on improving the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. As a company, we are also committed to serving the needs of lupus patients, their families and the healthcare providers who care for them."
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). A lupus patient's immune system cannot properly tell the difference between invading organisms and the body's healthy tissues, and in turn creates antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These antibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
According to the LFA, lupus may affect as many as 1.5 million Americans. Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44), with African American women being two to three times more likely to develop lupus than Caucasian women. Men, children and teenagers may also develop lupus.
"We are very pleased to welcome Questcor as a corporate sponsor for our Walk to End Lupus Now program and thank them for supporting our efforts to raise awareness of lupus during May," said Sandra Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "Support from companies such as Questcor helps us advance our mission to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus."
About the Lupus Foundation of America:
The Lupus Foundation of America is the only national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, the Foundation leads the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at www.lupus.org.
About Questcor Pharmaceuticals
Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of patients with serious, difficult-to-treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Questcor's specific areas of focus are in the fields of neurology, nephrology, pulmonology and rheumatology, and the company is currently supporting research efforts in a variety of conditions having significant unmet medical need. For more information about Questcor, please visit www.Questcor.com.
SOURCE Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.