Otsuka and Lundbeck Announce Barbara Corcoran Led Campaign to Raise Awareness of Alzheimer’s Dementia

Image courtesy Otsuka

Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Lundbeck LLC announced a new educational campaign focused on the existence and impact of Alzheimer’s dementia and the agitation it can cause in people suffering from it.¹ The two companies brought Barbara Corcoran on board to be the campaign’s spokesperson. Corcoran tragically lost her mother to Alzheimer’s in 2012.

The campaign is titled “I Wish I Knew” and is inspired by the fact that many people are unaware that Alzheimer’s dementia is a separate condition, thus making it more difficult for family members and care givers to handle its impact.

In a press release, Corcoran discussed her experiences with her mother, saying, “These changes felt heartbreaking for my siblings and me to watch, because our mother had never been this way. She was a lovebug. We didn’t recognize the agitated, angry person she had become. We didn’t know about a separate condition, called agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia when my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.2 Since then, I’ve learned about 50% of people living with Alzheimer’s dementia are diagnosed with the condition. I wish I knew.”

Corcoran continued, “I wish I knew that we were not the only family caring for a loved one with agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia, because we weren’t. I didn’t know, but I can make sure others do. That’s why I feel so grateful to be sharing my story with other family caregivers and working with Otsuka and Lundbeck to help others learn to spot the signs and symptoms.”

Otsuka has a history of launching educational campaigns. In November of 2023, the company launched a campaign focused on the importance of discussing family health history in relation to kidney disease.² Similarly to its current campaign, Otsuka brought a famous face who had a personal connection to this issue to be the spokesperson for the campaign. Five-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin used the campaign to share her story of her family’s struggles with ADPKD.

In a press release, Franklin said, “Our family rallied around my father's diagnosis, prompting important conversations about living with ADPKD. This condition, while seemingly invisible, is a shared story among hundreds of thousands of families nationwide."

Franklin continued, “I am proud to work with Otsuka to shed light on the risks of ADPKD and the power of family dialogue. My Olympic journey taught me the importance of discipline and determination. Now, I'm channeling that passion towards raising awareness about ADPKD and early disease detection. Family Health History Month is the perfect time to facilitate these conversations."

Otsuka also launched a campaign focused on ADPKD in 2021, that time focused on promoting the importance of asking doctors to assess kidney size.³

In a press release issued at the time, Otsuka vice president and head of nephrology and medical devices Louis Allesandrine said, “Navigating a rare disease like ADPKD can be difficult, patients have told us there is a need to better understand ADPKD and available disease management strategies. Our ADPKD Questions campaign was created to empower patients to have informed conversations about ADPKD with their Nephrologist and Primary Care Physicians, including discussing the importance of knowing their kidney size so they can properly manage their condition."

Sources

1. Barbara Corcoran Announces Collaboration with Otsuka and Lundbeck to Raise Awareness of Agitation in Alzheimer’s Dementia. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. September 26, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240926223627/en/Barbara-Corcoran-Announces-Collaboration-with-Otsuka-and-Lundbeck-to-Raise-Awareness-of-Agitation-in-Alzheimer%E2%80%99s-Dementia
2. Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin Collaborates with Otsuka to Raise Awareness of Kidney Disease and Encourage Family Health History Conversations. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. November 1, 2023. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/olympic-gold-medalist-missy-franklin-collaborates-with-otsuka-to-raise-awareness-of-kidney-disease-and-encourage-family-health-history-conversations-301973213.html
3. A Critical Question to Ask your Doctor: ADPKD Questions Campaign Highlights the Importance of Kidney Size for ADPKD Patients. Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Inc. September 23, 2021. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-critical-question-to-ask-your-doctor-adpkd-questions-campaign-highlights-the-importance-of-kidney-size-for-adpkd-patients-301383853.html