Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Pfizer
Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced charitable donations totaling more
than $1 million to be granted between 2014 and 2016 to seven nonprofit
organizations that support patients with cardiovascular disease. The
donations will fund the independent development of innovative
educational materials about stroke risk reduction in patients with
nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The materials, accessible to
both patients and caregivers, will address disease awareness,
identification of signs and symptoms, access to care, appropriate
treatment options, shared decision making and medication adherence.
National Stroke Association, Heart Rhythm Society, American College of
Physicians, American Heart Association Founders Affiliate, Regents of
the University of Michigan/Society for Vascular Medicine, WomenHeart and
American College of Emergency Physicians will each receive a charitable
donation to support their independent educational initiatives.
“Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are committed to helping patients
living with NVAF better understand their increased risk for stroke and
how to take action to appropriately manage this risk,” said Christoph
Koenen, vice president, U.S. Medical, Cardiovascular, Bristol-Myers
Squibb. “We are proud to support these organizations in their efforts to
help educate and empower patients and caregivers.”
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of irregular heartbeat.
It is estimated that more than 5.8 million Americans have AF. One of the
most serious medical concerns for individuals with AF is the increased
risk of stroke, which is five times higher in people with NVAF than in
those without it. In North America it is estimated that 98 percent of
patients with AF have NVAF. NVAF is a type of AF that is not due to
rheumatic mitral heart valve disease, a prosthetic heart valve, or a
repairing of the heart’s mitral valve.
“These seven nonprofit organizations were chosen because they do
essential work each and every day to connect with patients and they are
critical in continuing to raise awareness of devastating cardiovascular
diseases,” said Brian Klee, group lead, U.S. Medical Affairs,
Cardiovascular, Pfizer. “The Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer Alliance is
honored to be able to support these organizations in providing
innovative, educational resources to both patients and caregivers.”
Visit the recipient websites to learn more about these organizations:
About the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer Alliance
In 2007, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb entered into a worldwide
collaboration to develop and commercialize apixaban, an oral
anticoagulant discovered by Bristol-Myers Squibb. This global alliance
combines Bristol-Myers Squibb's long-standing strengths in
cardiovascular drug development and commercialization with Pfizer’s
global scale and expertise in this field.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission
is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help
patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information, please
visit http://www.bms.com
or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.
About Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world™
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies
to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive
to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery,
development and manufacture of health care products. Our global
portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's
best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues
work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness,
prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases
of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's
premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with
health care providers, governments and local communities to support and
expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For
more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who
rely on us. To learn more, please visit us at www.pfizer.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2014