Aurinia Recognizes World Kidney Day and National Kidney Month with New Activities Focused on Raising Awareness for Kidney Disease

 

VICTORIA, British Columbia - (BUSINESS WIRE) - March 14, 2019 - In recognition of World Kidney Day and National Kidney Month, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH/TSX: AUP), a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with research ongoing in two kidney diseases, Lupus Nephritis (LN) and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), today announced a host of activities, including an initiative with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), designed to raise awareness for kidney disease. To find out more and to get involved in National Kidney Month, Aurinia invites all to:

“National Kidney Month is so important because it is imperative that kidney health becomes a part of everyday conversations,” said Joseph Vassalotti, MD, Chief Medical Officer with the National Kidney Foundation. “Kidney diseases such as lupus nephritis and FSGS can be devastating for people living with those diseases as well as their friends, family and loved ones. For these reasons, we are excited to work with Aurinia to both spread awareness and provide helpful resources.”

 

“Both LN and FSGS are serious and often debilitating diseases for which there are currently no FDA or EMA approved therapies,” said Neil Solomons, M.D. Chief Medical Officer at Aurinia. “Additionally, LN and FSGS can lead to end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. In extreme cases these diseases can even lead to death. Aurinia is committed to raising awareness around these kidney diseases and to developing innovative products to potentially help,” he added.

 

To learn more about LN, visit ALL IN at www.allinforlupusnephritis.com.

 

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are impacted by serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. The company is currently developing an investigational drug, for the 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.

 

In the United States 30 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and most aren’t aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end stage renal disease (kidney failure).

 

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.