CRANBURY, N.J., Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq:FOLD) is honoring Rare Disease Day this week with the launch of Healing Beyond Disease™, a global, Amicus employee-driven initiative inspired by people living with rare diseases and their families. Healing Beyond Disease is designed to enhance and expand the Company’s support for patients, families and advocacy organizations beyond the Company’s research and development of novel medicines. More information on Healing Beyond Disease is available in an infographic on the Amicus corporate website.

Healing Beyond Disease is based on five key “pillars” and leverages Amicus’ varied internal resources, existing philanthropic endeavors and drug development expertise to bring a different level of support to the rare disease community. Through innovative volunteerism, philanthropy, and mentorship for individuals, nonprofit organizations and others, Healing Beyond Disease will provide further support to the rare disease community, including broad access in geographies where the need for Amicus medicines exists but the potential of having marketed, reimbursed products does not.

John F. Crowley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amicus Therapeutics, stated, “We are thrilled and honored to officially launch Healing Beyond Disease, our unique promise to further serve the needs of the rare disease community in extraordinary ways. Our core mission at Amicus is to make great medicines. Healing Beyond Disease, however, is a commitment to do even more than that. It is based on the notion that we are in this business to positively change the lives of people living with rare diseases in many ways. The five unique pillars of our Healing Beyond Disease program reflect our obligations beyond the therapies that we provide. This broader commitment to the rare disease community is a long-term one and it is core to our company beliefs. It includes our philanthropic endeavors, investment in next generation treatments within our current therapeutic areas of focus, and our emerging plans to make our medicines accessible to patients in every part of the world possible - to heal beyond disease.”

There are 7,000 rare diseases affecting an estimated 350 million people globally. One in 10 Americans is affected by a rare disease. In fact, many Amicus employees are living with a rare disease, or caring for someone living with a rare disease. This “rare is common” mindset fuels the company’s mission to transform the lives of those affected by rare diseases, and is integral to the Healing Beyond Disease effort.

Jayne C. Gershkowitz, Chief Patient Advocate at Amicus Therapeutics, commented, “Collaborating with rare disease advocates daily, I believe championing and serving patient communities creates a sense of mission and purpose that inspires all Amicus employees. Healing Beyond Disease is a tangible hallmark of our belief at Amicus that each one of us has the unique ability to do an immense amount of good. This is just the beginning.”

Healing Beyond Disease Pillars
The five pillars of the Healing Beyond Disease program include:

• TIME: Evolve volunteerism companywide to further the commitment to the rare disease patient community with information and incentives for employees and three days of paid leave for volunteer efforts annually.
• TALENT: Leverage the expertise within the company to provide mentorship to individuals impacted by rare disease and consulting to emerging rare disease organizations and small businesses to accomplish their mission of developing therapies for people living with rare diseases.
• TREASURE: Advance philanthropy for broader support of rare diseases by providing the opportunity for voluntary financial support directly from company employees in rare diseases and areas not related to any Amicus products or research.
• THE AMICUS PLEDGE TO A CURE: Designate a portion from any Amicus marketed drug sales to reinvest in that specific disease until that disease has a cure.
• BUILDING RARE BRIDGES: Provide access in the near and long-term across the globe to our medicines for people living with rare diseases in the developed and developing world.

Regular updates on the status and milestones for each pillar will be communicated on the Amicus corporate website and social media channels, including LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Healing Beyond Disease
Healing Beyond Disease is a cross-functional initiative that was created and implemented by the employees of Amicus Therapeutics to enhance and expand the company’s positive effect on people living with rare diseases. Launched in 2018, Healing Beyond Disease comprises elements of volunteerism, mentorship, philanthropic giving, innovation and accessibility - each inspired by and adaptive to rare disease communities. For more information please visit the Amicus corporate website.

About Rare Disease Day 2018
Rare Disease Day is held on the last day of February every year to raise awareness of rare diseases. The campaign started as a European event in 2008 and has progressively become a global phenomenon, with the USA joining in 2009 and participation in 94 countries all over the world in 2017. The theme for Rare Disease Day 2018 is research. Rare disease research contributes to the development of diagnostic tools, treatments and cures, as well as improved health and social care for individuals and their families living with rare diseases. For more information please visit www.rarediseaseday.org.

About Amicus Therapeutics
Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq:FOLD) is a global, patient-centric biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and delivering novel high-quality medicines for people living with rare metabolic diseases. The lead program in the Amicus portfolio is migalastat, an oral precision medicine for people living with Fabry disease who have amenable genetic mutations. Migalastat is currently approved under the trade name Galafold™ in the European Union, with additional approvals granted and pending in several geographies. The lead biologics program of the Amicus pipeline is ATB200/AT2221, a novel, late-stage, potential best-in-class treatment paradigm for Pompe disease. The Company is committed to advancing and expanding a robust pipeline of cutting-edge, first- or best-in-class medicines for rare metabolic diseases. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as, but not limited to, “look forward to,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” "confidence," "encouraged," “potential,” “plan,” “targets,” “likely,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “should” and “could,” and similar expressions or words identify forward-looking statements. The forward looking statements included in this press release are based on management's current expectations and belief's which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and factors. In addition, all forward looking statements are subject to the other risks and uncertainties detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Quarterly Report on 10-Q for the Quarter ended September 30, 2017. As a consequence, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements, which speak only of the date hereof. All forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and we undertake no obligation to revise this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. 

CONTACTS:

Investors/Media:
Amicus Therapeutics
Sara Pellegrino, IRC
Senior Director, Investor Relations
spellegrino@amicusrx.com
(609) 662-5044

Media:
Jennifer Paganelli
Media Relations
jpaganelli@purecommunications.com
(347) 658-8290

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Source: Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.