WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2016 — The ALS Association is pleased to announce MT Pharma America’s sponsorship of the Walk to Defeat ALS® , an initiative with over 170 events held every year in communities nationwide. The Walk to Defeat ALS helps to support care service programs, cutting-edge research, and nationwide advocacy efforts for people with ALS and their families. This sponsorship marks the single largest corporate contribution to this important annual event this year.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS as the general population. There is no cure, and only one drug modestly extends survival by only a few months.
“We are incredibly grateful for this generous gift from MT Pharma America, which will help further our efforts to educate communities about ALS and to generate support to defeat it,” said Barbara J. Newhouse, president and CEO.
The Walk to Defeat ALS brings hope to those living with ALS and a chance for individuals with the disease and their families and friends to spend a day with others in the ALS community. People participate in the Walks to honor or remember a loved one with the disease, to show their support for the cause, or to walk as a member of a corporate team.
“We recognize the challenges that people with ALS and their families face and are proud to support the Association in its work to increase awareness and funding at a national and local level,” said Atsushi Fujimoto, president, MT Pharma America. “We believe that by working together, we can discover and deliver innovative solutions that address the many needs of people living with ALS today.”
To learn more about the Walk to Defeat ALS, please visit www.WalktoDefeatALS.org.
“Our collaboration with The ALS Association is built on shared beliefs that while we search for the treatment of tomorrow, families need help with vital care services today,” said Mary Kay Turner, senior director of advocacy and communications, MT Pharma America. “Helping to make life better for families is integral to our corporate mission and we are committed to working together with the community to accomplish this goal.”
About MT Pharma America
Based in Jersey City, New Jersey, MT Pharma America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MTPC’s 100 percent owned U.S. holding company, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Holdings America, Inc. MT Pharma America is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that address the unmet medical needs of patients in the United States. It was established by MTPC to commercialize approved pharmaceutical products in the U.S. with plans to expand its product line through collaborations with partners. For more information, go to www.mt-pharma-america.com.
About The ALS Association The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org.