Grant from Baxter Supports Primary Immunodeficiency Diagnosis and Patient Access to Care

 

SEATTLE, May 11, 2007 - Today, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute was pleased to recognize the Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF), together with Baxter Healthcare Corporation, for their generous funding of a state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic laboratory within its new Center for Immunology Research. Seattle's program, one of 34 worldwide supported by the JMF, focuses on the diagnosis, care, and treatment of people suffering with Primary Immunodeficiency (PI). Primary Immunodeficiency is a term that encompasses more than 120 diseases caused by an immune system that does not function properly.

 

“We are thrilled to be associated with Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and Baxter.” said Fred Modell, Co-founder of the JMF. “Experts have estimated that as many as 500,000 cases of PI remain undiagnosed in the United States, and our goal is to give every child a chance to lead a healthy, normal life.”

 

“There is a large undiagnosed population of children and young adults suffering with these diseases, keeping them from enjoying a full life, as they often miss 30 or 40 days of school every year,” said Vicki Modell, Co-founder of the JMF. “Their illness interrupts their activities, detours their plans and shatters their dreams.”

 

A recent survey of the Jeffrey Modell Centers shows they are, in fact, fulfilling that promise. Survey results reveal that throughout a three-year period, there was a 98 percent average annual increase in the number of patients diagnosed with PI, and a 77 percent annual increase in the number of PI patients receiving treatment. PI affects males and females of all ages, but the most severe forms are frequently detected in childhood.

 

Primary Immunodeficiency can often present in the form of common illnesses such as sinus infections, pneumonia, ear infections, and bronchitis. For this reason, families and doctors are often unaware that the troubling conditions they are dealing with are actually rooted in a defect in the immune system. The symptoms are treated rather than addressing the underlying cause. Failure to diagnose and treat PI can lead to serious chronic illness, permanent organ damage, or even death.

 

“Early recognition and diagnosis of PI can save lives and improve the health outcomes for these patients,” said Hans Ochs, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and the Jeffrey Modell Chair of Pediatric Immunology Research at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute. “The educational and diagnostic programs made possible through this support are vital for us to provide excellence in diagnosis and treatment of patients with PI, and will provide cutting edge research and diagnostic opportunities not only for Seattle, but to colleagues in the U.S. and around the world.”

 

“The JMF's unwavering dedication to the early diagnosis and treatment of PI is evident through their many very successful endeavors, the most recent being the opening of this modern diagnostic facility at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute,” said Larry Guiheen, President of Biopharmaceuticals for Baxter's BioScience business. “Baxter is proud to collaborate with JMF and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute to launch this molecular diagnostic laboratory, in an effort to increase awareness and improve the lives of many patients with PI. We look forward to seeing the immunology research program at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute recognized throughout the world as a Center of Excellence.”

 

Baxter provided an unrestricted grant to the JMF. Baxter and the JMF are long-standing partners in the effort to raise awareness and increase diagnosis of PI globally. In addition to establishing diagnostic centers around the world, Baxter and JMF have in the past collaborated in programs to raise PI awareness in the U.S. and Europe.

 

About Jeffrey Modell Foundation

 

The Jeffrey Modell Foundation was established in 1987 by Vicki and Fred Modell in memory of their son Jeffrey, who died at the age of 15 of a PI disease. The Foundation is dedicated to early and precise diagnosis, meaningful treatments, and ultimately cures of primary immunodeficiencies. More information on PI can be found at www.info4pi.org or by calling the JMF hotline at 1-866-INFO-4-PI.

 

About Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute

 

To learn about Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute visit http://research.seattlechildrens.org.

 

About Baxter

 

Baxter Healthcare Corporation is the principal U.S. operating subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX). Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists healthcare professionals and their patients with treatment of complex medical conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives. For more information about Baxter, please visit www.baxter.com.