SK Life Science is in a purple haze this week to help raise awareness around epilepsy.
Since 2008, March 26 has marked Purple Day, a global day of recognition for the disease, during which people are encouraged to wear purple, a color long associated with epilepsy, and many organizations host events to offer education about and support for the condition.
To celebrate the occasion this year, SK—the maker of anti-seizure medication Xcopri—is shining a light on four programs it has in place to offer support to people with epilepsy, several of which were developed in partnership with patient advocacy organizations.
2024 marks the seventh year in a row that SK has commemorated Purple Day in some way, Matt Linkewich, the pharma’s chief commercial officer, said in an announcement Monday.
“We remain committed to delivering impactful resources that equip the epilepsy community with the information and tools they need to feel empowered in their epilepsy journey,” Linkewich said. “It is estimated that 3.4 million people in the U.S. are living with epilepsy, and we hope these tools will encourage and support patients and caregivers and help remove some of the barriers to epilepsy treatment.”
First on the list is a new patient mentorship program that SK built using PatientPartner’s technology platform. People with epilepsy and their caregivers who are interested in Xcopri can use the program to be virtually matched with a “mentor”—another patient who already has experience using the medication—to learn about what it’s like to switch treatments and what side effects to expect, and to discuss coping strategies for living with epilepsy.
SK also touted the rideshare program it established with the Epilepsy Foundation through which U.S. patients can sign up to receive a $50 Uber voucher every three months to help cover the costs of getting to and from medical appointments.
Next on the list is the S.T.E.P.S. toolkit that SK developed alongside Epilepsy Alliance America to help patients have better, more productive conversations with their doctors. As acronymized in its name, the toolkit—available in both English and Spanish—guides patients through discussions around their seizures, treatment, emotional impact, personal goals and safety.
Finally, the drugmaker highlighted the “Understanding Epilepsy” hub created by nonprofit organization CURE Epilepsy. The hub includes a variety of educational resources about the disease for patients and their caregivers and loved ones, ranging from the basics of the disease and available treatments to ongoing clinical trials and the potential impacts of COVID-19 on epilepsy.