For the first time, a pharmaceutical company took the stage at an HAEi global event; BioCryst, a Diamond Supporter of the GLW, had a big statement to make to the assembled HAE advocates.

Charlie Gayer, Chief Commercial Officer at BioCryst, and his colleague Kristin Buske, Head of Global Medical Affairs, were welcomed on stage. They started by expressing their gratitude for the partnership with all in the HAE community; all that BioCryst has been able to accomplish was as a result of countless hours of feedback they’ve received from patients and advocates.

Charlie told the audience that in 2019, half of their company crossed America to spend time with their friends in the HAE community. This event had a profound impact and continues to be cited by BioCryst’s President and CEO, Jon Stonehouse, as a very meaningful moment.

Since then, BioCryst has been with the HAE community at HAEA National Summits and the HAEi Regional Conferences Americas, APAC, and EMEA. During these meetings, the BioCryst team is often humbled by the interactions and conversations they have with people living with HAE.

Charlie described hearing many times: ‘Nothing about us, without us.’ The theme that emerged from these discussions: You’re The Key. Everyone in the company is motivated to look for a bright future for HAE, Charlie told the audience, knowing that ‘all of you are the key’:

“You inspire us every day, and you motivate us to work harder every day for that bright future.”

Acknowledging that there are now 100 Member Organizations and that BioCryst has reached 500 employees in 13 different locations, it is clear that both the community and the company are growing. The first oral, once-daily, preventative therapy for HAE is now available in over 20 countries, and in the next few years, BioCryst hopes to reach many more.

At this point, Charlie re-stated a commitment first made by BioCryst’s CEO:

‘Our mission at BioCryst is to bring our therapy to any patient worldwide that needs it, regardless of their ability to pay.’

The commitment, Charlie admitted, will take a few years to achieve, but it is central to BioCryst and drives them every day. The GLW audience responded to such a commitment with intense applause.

Concluding, the BioCryst representatives told the audience that they looked forward to a brighter future for every HAE patient, young or old. After showing a short film of a young person with HAE, both agreed that personal stories: ‘Put extra fuel in our tank.’ BioCryst is just getting started helping more people in the HAE community.