Following the March 23rd launch of the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund, we are pleased to announce significant growth in the donation of funds and medical supplies from the life sciences community. Currently the fund has received more than $750,000 in cash contributions and thousands of donated supplies, including goggles, protective clothing items and cleanroom gloves. Starting Monday, April 6th, iBIO will post on its website weekly updates on the fund.
iBIO is directing monetary donations to its BIO Business Solutions lab supply partner, which places ongoing orders for personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment to meet the urgent needs of first responders, nurses and doctors throughout Illinois. The purchased items are then sent to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), which distributes the products to healthcare and emergency response systems statewide to ensure that the supply is equitable.
On Thursday, April 2nd, Astellas Pharma US announced sponsorship of the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund as part of up to $2 million in new financial assistance, in aggregate, that Astellas and the Astellas Global Health Foundation will be providing to support patients, healthcare workers and first responders in local and global communities. Astellas is the second Illinois-based life sciences company to offer significant support to the fund, following last week’s donation from Horizon Therapeutics.
“We are grateful that a portion of Astellas’ commitment will support the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund, which will be used to purchase life-saving equipment for nurses, doctors and paramedics,” said iBIO President and CEO John Conrad. “These heroes continue to show up for battle despite the great risks to their health and to the health of their families. Thank you, Astellas.”
“With this fund and our community’s leadership, we are making an immediate impact. We ask other organizations and individuals to join Horizon and Astellas in supporting our frontline healthcare workers,” added Conrad. “Please donate unused medical products or a make a financial donation to iBIO’s COVD-19 PPE Response Fund.”