Albireo Recognizes Rare Disease Day and Supports Global Effort to “Reframe Rare” By Highlighting the Challenges of Choles...

Albireo Pharma, Inc. (ALBO), a clinical-stage orphan pediatric liver disease company developing novel bile acid modulators, today announced its support for Rare Disease Day 2020 and reaffirms its commitment to patients and families living with biliary atresia (BA), Alagille syndrome, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) and other rare cholestatic diseases.

Rare Disease Day (www.rarediseaseday.org) was established by EURORDIS in 2008 and takes place on the last day of February each year to raise global awareness of the risk and impact of rare diseases. The global theme for Rare Disease Day 2020 is “Reframe Rare,” highlighting the need to address many of the misconceptions about rare diseases. Throughout February, Albireo has presented insights and shareable content from families affected by rare cholestatic liver diseases on the company’s social media platforms.

“Rare Disease Day is an important opportunity to shed light on the extreme physical, social and psychological burdens that people affected by rare diseases face, and to join with patients, families and healthcare professionals around the world in building awareness and understanding,” said Ron Cooper, President and Chief Executive Officer of Albireo. “We applaud the effort to reframe discussions about rare diseases to improve our ability to support patients and advance research to find new treatments.”

Albireo employees will also participate in Rare Disease Day 2020 activities to show their support for all patients and families affected by cholestatic liver diseases. The company will host meetings in their Sweden and Boston offices with families living with BA and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Both BA and PSC are rare progressive disorders characterized by bile accumulation due to damaged bile ducts. Albireo team members around the world will share their support for patients with cholestatic liver diseases on social media and the company will participate in the MassBIO Rare Disease Day breakfast recognizing important advances in research in rare diseases.

“We hope that everyone will take an opportunity to help family, friends, healthcare providers and others to learn more about the impact of rare diseases by sharing their experience on social media,” said Roberta Smith, President of Alagille Syndrome Alliance (ALGSA, www.alagille.org). “Together we can help more people understand the unique challenges that Alagille syndrome and other rare cholestatic liver diseases can present and we can work to provide better support and advance research that could lead to a cure.”

“Feeling isolated is a common experience in the rare disease community, especially when you are dealing with rare liver disease,” said Emily Ventura, President and Co-Founder of PFIC Network (www.pfic.org). “It’s essential for people to realize there is strength in joining and sharing both common and unique PFIC experiences with other rare disease communities. This can definitely benefit the greater good.”

For information and about progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), visit PFIC.org; Alagille syndrome, visit Alagille.org; biliary atresia, visit childliverdisease.org; and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) visit pscpartners.org.

About Albireo Albireo Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel bile acid modulators to treat orphan pediatric liver diseases, and other liver and gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. Albireo’s lead product candidate, odevixibat, is being developed to treat rare pediatric cholestatic liver diseases and is in Phase 3 development in its initial target indication, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. Albireo’s clinical pipeline also includes two Phase 2 product candidates. Albireo’s elobixibat, approved in Japan for the treatment of chronic constipation, is the first ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor approved anywhere in the world.

To hear perspectives from families affected by PFIC, visit www.pficvoices.com.

Albireo was spun out from AstraZeneca in 2008. Albireo Pharma is based in Boston, Mass., and its key operating subsidiary is in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Boston Business Journal named Albireo one of the 2019 Best Places to Work in Massachusetts. For more information on Albireo, please visit www.albireopharma.com. Media Contact: Lynn Granito, Berry & Company Public Relations, [phone], [e-mail]