Initiative Part of Expansion of Education and Awareness Activities for Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome Community
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Catalyst) (Nasdaq: CPRX), a commercial-stage, patient-centric biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel high-quality medicines for patients living with rare diseases, today announced the launch of a podcast called LEMS Aware. Produced by Catalyst, the podcast, created to increase awareness of and connections in the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) community, will focus on discussing topics unique to LEMS and the rare disease community as a whole. Participants in the podcast include LEMS patients, physicians, and influencers in the rare community.
On February 28, 2022, which is recognized internationally as Rare Disease Day, Catalyst will release the first podcast episode on the LEMS Aware website (https://www.lemsaware.com/). The pilot episode will feature Ashley Gregory and Price Wooldridge, two rare advocates who will discuss their experiences with LEMS, the difficulty of getting a rare disease diagnosis, and how individuals can overcome the day-to-day challenges of living with the condition.
Gregory said, “It is critical that rare disease patients do their own thorough research and be self-informed, a process that benefits from rare disease-focused awareness campaigns. Becoming a patient advocate has been a big part of my LEMS journey, and I am quite passionate about it. The process of helping others in the community is exceedingly fulfilling to me.”
Wooldridge added, “Understanding the challenges of living with a rare disease is a key step to overcoming them, a comprehension that comes from rare disease education. Many times, people do not understand your daily struggles unless they are living with you. I want to educate the community about LEMS and be a guide for those who are beginning their LEMS journey. Awareness and education are the most critical ways we can inform others about rare diseases and their challenges.”
Rare Disease Day was created to raise awareness about rare and ultra-rare conditions among the public and decision-makers in industry and government with the goal of improving treatment options and access and medical representation for impacted patients and their families. Efforts taken on this day and throughout the year are intended to increase funds, research, resources, and treatments for the rare disease community. Despite recent progress, only about 5% of the more than 7,000 identified rare diseases currently have an FDA-approved treatment.
“We are steadfast in our goal of educating the community and arming them with tools that will facilitate the perception of their diagnosis,” said Patrick J. McEnany, Chairman and CEO of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals. “This podcast, engaging rare disease warriors, patient advocates, and physicians, will help our patient population relate and get answers to their many questions.”
Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a rare autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction that affects the signals sent from the nerve to the muscle. A miscommunication between the nerve cell and the muscles leads to the progressive onset of muscle weakness. About half of LEMS cases occur in middle-aged or older people with lung cancer. Depending on the severity of symptoms, LEMS can impact patients’ quality of life affecting their ability to engage in daily activities.
To be notified when the first episode is available, sign up at https://www.lemsaware.com/stay-informed. Additionally, the podcast will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon Music on February 28, 2022.
About Catalyst Pharmaceuticals
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage, patient-centric biopharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing, developing, and commercializing novel high-quality medicines for patients living with rare diseases. With exceptional patient focus, Catalyst is committed to developing a robust pipeline of cutting-edge, first- or best-in-class medicines for other rare diseases. Catalyst's New Drug Application for FIRDAPSE® (amifampridine) Tablets 10 mg for the treatment of adults with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome ("LEMS") was approved in 2018 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA"), and FIRDAPSE is commercially available in the United States as a treatment for adults with LEMS. Further, Canada's national healthcare regulatory agency, Health Canada, has approved the use of FIRDAPSE for the treatment of adult patients in Canada with LEMS.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause Catalyst's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. A number of factors, including those factors described in Catalyst's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2020 and Catalyst's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), could adversely affect Catalyst. Copies of Catalyst's filings with the SEC are available from the SEC, may be found on Catalyst's website, or may be obtained upon request from Catalyst. Catalyst does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.
Media Contact:
David Schull
Russo Partners
(858) 717-2310
david.schull@russopartnersllc.com
Source: Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
