CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 31, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEGR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat debilitating rare diseases, announced today its observance of World Lipodystrophy Day.
Chief Executive Officer Mary Szela said, "We support the Association of Families Affected by Lipodystrophies in Spain, Europe & Latin America (AELIP), Lipodystrophy United (LU), and others in the lipodystrophy community in their objective to increase awareness and diagnosis of this serious and often undiagnosed rare disease. Education is an important step towards making an impact for people affected by lipodystrophy.”
Lipodystrophy is a group of rare diseases characterized by the lack of fat tissue. In some patients, it is genetic, and in others it may be acquired. It can be characterized by a widespread lack of fat tissue under the skin (generalized lipodystrophy) or limited lack of fat tissue (partial lipodystrophy). This loss of fat tissue might cause a deficit in the hormone leptin leading to multiple medical complications such as severe metabolic complications.
“Lipodystrophies are rare diseases, meaning they can be difficult to diagnose correctly and therefore treat properly and efficiently,” said Dr. Renan Montenegro Junior, Endocrinologist and Associate Professor of Medicine College of Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil.
“A common feature of most lipodystrophies is the predisposition to diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr. Carla Musso, Chief of Diabetes at Favaloro Foundation, Endocrinologist at Milstein Hospital and Treasurer of Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes, Argentina. “Since it is very difficult for physicians to achieve desired therapeutic targets, patients might experience severe diabetes and dyslipidemia complications. Through increased awareness and education, physicians can more accurately diagnose and effectively treat these serious diseases. It is crucial to improve our knowledge about the disease to find the best treatments.”
“Our objectives for World Lipodystrophy Day include raising awareness of the public health problem posed by lipodystrophy, implementing actions that impact the challenges faced by patients with lipodystrophy and their families, and joining together with the community to pool resources and improve care for those affected by this rare disease,” said Regina Prospero, president of APMPS-DR (Associação Paulista de Mucopolissacaridoses e Doenças Raras), Brazil.
To learn more about lipodystrophy, visit www.aelip.org, www.lipodystrophyunited.org or http://www.lipodystrophy.co.uk.
About Aegerion Pharmaceuticals
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for patients with debilitating, rare diseases. For more information about the company, please visit www.aegerion.com.