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14th September, World Atopic Eczema Day

13 September 2024

Almirall raises awareness of the mental burden of skin diseases launching the campaign “The True Colours of Atopic Dermatitis”

  • “The True Colours of Atopic Dermatitis” campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the physical symptoms and emotional impact of this highly prevalent chronic skin condition – affecting an estimated 2% to 7% of adults worldwide1 and up to 4.4% of adults in the EU2
  • The daily challenges of people living with atopic dermatitis and its broad impact on their lives remain largely invisible and misunderstood, with approximately 30% of patients reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression3,4,5
  • Based on Almirall’s dedication to understanding patients’ needs, testimonials and visualisations bring to live the daily challenges of patients with AD – including the physical symptoms, appearance, discomfort, and the impact on their wellbeing
  • Almirall supports GlobalSkin and the EFA's initiative for World Atopic Eczema Day 2024, an awareness day launched in 2018 to draw global attention to the disease and its impact on patients

Barcelona. Spain. 13th September 2024 – On World Atopic Eczema Day, Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to medical dermatology, launched the campaign “The True Colours of Atopic Dermatitis” to raise awareness of the mental and emotional impact of chronic atopic dermatitis (AD). The campaign supports World Atopic Eczema Day (September 14), co-founded in 2018 by the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations (also known as GlobalSkin) and the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA).

Atopic dermatitis (AD, also called eczema) is a common, relapsing, chronic skin disease6 that affects an estimated 2% to 7% of adults worldwide1 and up to 4.4% of adults in the EU2.  People with AD are impacted by both, physical and emotional symptoms of the disease7, with emotional distress and impaired physical and social functioning being key factors that negatively impact their quality of life8,9.

Approximately 30% of patients report symptoms of anxiety or depression3,4,5. However, the extent of the social, emotional and economic challenges faced by AD patients remains largely invisible, with the condition frequently dismissed as “just a rash”. This underscores the need for greater awareness and understanding to better support those living with this condition.

The True Colours of Atopic Dermatitis

Almirall’s focus on supporting people with skin conditions, and the dermatology community is grounded in a deep understanding of patients’ needs. Driving broad awareness of the emotional impact of atopic dermatitis in addition to the stigma and the physical symptoms is at the heart of supporting people living with this often-debilitating condition. Showing “the true colours of AD” means to uncover and explain patients' real feelings, the hidden emotional struggles, and broad impact of the disease - without filters.

As part of this campaign, patient testimonies and illustrations explain the emotional spectrum experienced by AD patients, from isolation and anxiety to relief. The website www.atopicall.com has been created hosting videos and educational content to make the patient stories and insights broadly accessible,

“The far-reaching effects of atopic dermatitis extend beyond the skin, impacting patients’ wellbeing and daily functioning in their personal life, at work or school. Understanding these personal challenges is essential for providing better care and support patients with a successful management of the disease” noted Dr. Volker Koscielny, Almirall’s Chief Medical Officer. “Our commitment to people with Atopic Dermatitis is based on our dedicated partnership with both patients and dermatologists. On World Atopic Eczema Day, we highlight the importance of addressing all challenges associated with this condition, and we pledge to continue developing solutions that enhance the wellbeing of patients worldwide”, he added.

“On September 14, we unite as a global patient community for World Atopic Eczema Day. We raise awareness for this multi-dimensional condition and the impact it has on the millions of patients and caregivers worldwide. We understand the many burdens faced by people living with atopic eczema which impacts their physical and mental wellbeing and often restricts their lives. We call upon healthcare professionals and policy makers to join us to demonstrate how they support for atopic eczema patients all over the globe. Together we can make change happen,” said Jennifer Austin, Chief Executive Officer of GlobalSkin

About atopic dermatitis

AD, also referred to as atopic eczema, is a non-contagious chronic, inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent inflammation of the skin often associated with intense pruritus or itching. Beyond the evident physical manifestations such as dryness, itchiness, redness, and inflammation, this condition can exert profound emotional effects that can significantly disrupt the academic, social, and professional lives of those affected. With an estimated prevalence of up to 4.4% among adults in the EU, the incidence of AD appears to have increased in recent decades, with approximately 20-30% of patients having moderate-to-severe disease.

About Almirall

Almirall is a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to medical dermatology. We closely collaborate with leading scientists, healthcare professionals, and patients to deliver our purpose: to transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life. We are at the forefront of science to deliver ground-breaking, differentiated medical dermatology innovations that address patients´ needs.

Almirall, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange (ticker: ALM). Almirall (total revenue in 2023: €898.8 MM, 1900 employees globally) has direct presence in 21 countries and marketed products in over 100.

For more information, please visit almirall.com

Corporate Communications:                                     Investor Relations

Corporate.communication@almirall.com                                   investors@almirall.com

Phone: (+34) 659 614 173                                            Phone: (+34) 93 291 30 87       

Legal warning

This document includes only summary information and is not intended to be exhaustive. The facts, figures and opinions contained in this document, in addition to the historical ones, are "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on the information currently available and the best estimates and assumptions that the company considers reasonable. These statements involve risks and uncertainties beyond the control of the company. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from those declared by such forward-looking statements. The company expressly waives any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, goals or estimates contained in this document to reflect any changes in the assumptions, events or circumstances on which such forward-looking statements are based, unless required by the applicable law.

References

  1.  Weidinger S, Beck LA, Bieber T, Kabashima K, Irvine AD. Atopic dermatitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4(1):1.
  2. Barbarot S, Auziere S, Gadkari A, Girolomoni G, Puig L, Simpson EL, Margolis DJ, de Bruin-Weller M, Eckert L. Epidemiology of atopic dermatitis in adults: Results from an international survey. Allergy. 2018 Jun;73(6):1284-1293. doi: 10.1111/all.13401. Epub 2018 Feb 13. PMID: 29319189.
  3. Drucker AM, Wang AR, Li WQ, Sevetson E, Block  JK, Qureshi AA. The burden of atopic dermatitis: summary of a report for the National Eczema Association.  J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(1):26–30.
  4. Gregoriou S, Stefanou G, Kontodimas S, et al.  Burden of atopic dermatitis in adults in greece: results from a nationwide survey. J Clin Med.  2022;11(16):4777.
  5. Nicholas MN, Gooderham MJ. Atopic dermatitis, depression, and suicidality. J Cutan Med Surg. 2017;21(3):237–42.
  6. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), 2020. Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019) Results. Seattle, United States. Available at https://vizhub. healthdata.org/gbd-results/ (last accessed 9 August 2022).
  7. Chovatiya R. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). JAMA. 2023 Jan 17;329(3):268.
  8. W hiteley J, Emir B, Seitzman R, Makinson G. The burden of atopic dermatitis in US adults: results from the 2013 National Health and Wellness Survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2016;32(10):1645–51.
  9. Vinh NM, Trang VTT, Dac Thuy LN, Tam HTX, Hang LTT, Bac PV. The anxiety and depression disorder in adults with atopic dermatitis: experience of a dermatology hospital. Dermatol Reports. 2023;15(1):9524.
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