CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 24, 2015 (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 The FH Foundation's annual Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) Awareness Day.
Chief Executive Officer Sandford Smith said, "We support The FH Foundation's mission to increase awareness and support diagnosis of FH, including homozygous FH (HoFH). HoFH is a very serious and often undiagnosed disease. It can lead to a dangerous condition known as atherosclerosis. This significantly impacts patients and their families. Education is the first step towards making an impact."
FH is a genetic condition that impacts the body's ability to remove cholesterol that the body naturally produces. As a result, blood cholesterol levels are significantly elevated. There are two forms of the disease: heterozygous FH (HeFH), in which the genetic defect causing the impairment is inherited from one parent; and HoFH, in which the genetic defect is inherited from both parents. HoFH is the most severe form of the disorder.
To learn more about familial hypercholesterolemia, visit www.thefhfoundation.org.
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.