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Dey, L.P., Announces the Curosurf® Patient Assistance Program
Treatment Made Available to Eligible Families of Preterm Infants With Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Napa, CA, May 31, 2002 - Dey, L.P., an associate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the Curosurf Patient Assistance Program to provide Curosurf® (poractant alfa) Intratracheal Suspension to preterm infants whose families would otherwise be unable to afford treatment. The new patient program will allow doctors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to adequately treat infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) who come from indigent families or who lack insurance coverage.
Through the Curosurf Patient Assistance Program, Dey, L.P., will replenish the birthing hospital with the amount of Curosurf used to treat eligible patients free of charge. Additionally, there will be no predetermined limits of the replacement product. To be eligible for the program, patients must not have access to insurance coverage that provides prescription benefits. Patients enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid must have met the maximum plan allowable. Parents and healthcare providers will be asked to attest to the validity of the information provided to demonstrate financial need.
“Dey is happy to be introducing the Patient Assistance Program,” said Ray Joske, Vice President of Marketing for Dey. “Treating a preterm infant with RDS can be emotional for the parents and challenging for the physician. This program will help alleviate the potential financial concerns at this critical stage of an infant’s life and allow patients to receive the best care available.”
A common complication in preterm infants, respiratory distress syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs in babies with incomplete lung development. Insufficient surfactant in the lungs, a substance that keeps the lungs from collapsing and allows the exchange of gases in the lungs, causes RDS.
Curosurf is the most concentrated pulmonary surfactant available to clinicians, permitting smaller volume of dosing. It can rapidly affect oxygenation and lung function in very low birth weight infants with RDS. Treated infants should receive frequent clinical and laboratory assessments such that oxygen and ventilator support can be modified in response to rapid improvement in lung function. Transient adverse effects seen with the administration of Curosurf include bradycardia, endotracheal tube blockage and oxygen desaturation.
Physicians interested in enrolling patients or receiving additional information can call 1-866-4DEYAID.
About Dey, L.P.
Dey, L.P., is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drug products for the treatment of respiratory diseases and respiratory-related allergies. Since 1978, patients have benefited from Dey's commitment to innovative and affordable health care solutions.The Web sites for DEY include www.dey.com, www.accuneb.com, www.curosurfusa.com, www.duoneb.com and www.epipen.com. Dey is an associate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
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Contact: Dey, L.P. Media Line 1-800-755-5560 ext. 8363
