Industry Responds to COVID-19: UCB, Galderma, Timeless Skin Care
Briefs from the dermatology industry, as it responds to COVID-19
UCB. UCB is working with the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease to identify crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. In addition to providing funding support to organizations in need during this challenging time, UCB’s research facility in Bedford, Massachusetts, donated safety glasses, gloves, disposable lab coats, protective suits and gowns, and bags of strip PCR tubes from their labs to be used by healthcare institutions and researchers in Massachusetts to test and treat patients with COVID-19. UCB is also supporting healthcare professionals within the company who wish to volunteer their expertise in line with local government needs and guidance. They are also expanding their existing Patient Assistance Program to help eligible patients who have been impacted by COVID-19 by expediting enrollment to help ensure uninterrupted access to their medicines at no cost. This change will help patients experiencing difficulty affording UCB medicines due to job loss, job furlough, or loss of insurance coverage during this unprecedented time. UCB is also working on a global level to help fight COVID-19. They are partnering with Diamond Light Source and The University of Oxford in the UK to design inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2’s main protease for treatment of COVID-19 patients and are collaborating with The University of Oxford on a vaccine development.
In Belgium, UCB is working closely with local authorities in a task force announced by Minister Philippe De Backer, Secretary of State, to increase COVID-19 testing capabilities in the country. They are also looking at similar possibilities in the UK. UCB is organizing donations of materials such as hydro-alcoholic solution that they have already begun producing in major manufacturing sites to healthcare authorities in Belgium. In China, UCB donated protective garments and goggles to designated hospitals. They have also sent masks and goggles to the Belgian healthcare authorities and local hospitals.
In parallel, UCB is working with government agencies and the healthcare community to determine if any of their therapies could be used effectively to help hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Galderma. Galderma is offering educational webinars to support aesthetic customers during the pandemic. Galderma Italy donated Cetaphil hydrating lotion to hospitals and are also set to give away hydroalcoholic gel in the next few days.
Timeless Skin Care. The company compiled a comprehensive list of local hospitals in Southern California and began donating masks from their supply inventory, along with their popular Hydrating Sprays to hospital care employees.