GRIFOLS ADR : PROLASTIN® Celebrates 25 Years as Leading Augmentation Therapy for Treatment of Alpha ( 1 ) - Antitrypsin Deficiency .

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grifols, a global healthcare company based in Barcelona, Spain, is commemorating the 25(th) anniversary year of PROLASTIN(®) (alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor [human]) and the 50th anniversary of the discovery of alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency (Alpha1) with a series of events and programs around the world aimed at raising awareness and advancing research into the treatment of alpha1. This rare and life-threatening disease causes genetic emphysema due to low circulating levels of the alpha(1)-antitrypsin protein.

PROLASTIN was launched in the U.S. in February 1988 as the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of alpha1 by augmenting patients' levels of the alpha(1)-antitrypsin protein. Twenty-five years later, the PROLASTIN brand of products remains the global market leader for the treatment of this debilitating lung disease, first identified by Swedish researchers Carl-Bertil Laurell and Sten Eriksson in 1963.

"For nearly 17 years, PROLASTIN was the only product available to patients with Alpha-1," said Dr. Sandy Sandhaus, Professor of Medicine and Director, Alpha(1)-Antitrypsin Deficiency Program at National Jewish Health in Denver, CO. "Since the beginning, the makers of PROLASTIN have been remarkable partners with the patient community in helping to improve their health, educate patients about a little-known disease, and support scientific research to find better ways to detect and treat the disease."

"The level of patient support from the manufacturer of PROLASTIN helped many people change their lives," Sandhaus added.

To commemorate the 25(th) anniversary of PROLASTIN and the 50(th) anniversary of the discovery of the disease, Grifols is sponsoring a series of events, including the Alpha-1 Foundation's International Patient Congress in Barcelona and a National Education Conference in Washington, D.C. These events will promote dialogue and collaboration among patients, scientists, and healthcare providers. The goal is to increase diagnosis and promote research into a rare disease that remains vastly under-diagnosed, with an estimated five percent of affected individuals having been properly identified.

On the research front, Grifols continues to pursue initiatives with the goal of enhancing the understanding of alpha1 and devising better treatment options for patients. Toward that end, Grifols will initiate a multicenter clinical trial this summer to study the efficacy of multiple doses of PROLASTIN(®)-C - a more purified and concentrated formulation of PROLASTIN approved in the U.S. in 2009 and in Canada in 2010.

The development of PROLASTIN-C is one example of Grifols' ongoing commitment to devising novel therapeutic products and services. Additional initiatives include the distribution of free Alpha-1 diagnostic kits and the comprehensive disease-management program, PROLASTIN Direct(®).