LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct.
17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ:
SHPG) announces that in results released today from a new national
survey, nearly nine in 10 eye care professionals (ECPs) (89%)
believe our modern, multi-screen lifestyle (i.e., everyday use of
mobile, tablet and computer screens) is responsible for a rise in
dry eye disease, and that the condition is becoming increasingly
common. While women ages 50 and older are still most likely to be
affected by dry eye disease, ECPs also report that use of modern
technology is changing the face of the condition, saying that they
believe dry eye disease is affecting younger adults at a growing
rate. What's more, even though adults with dry eye symptoms cite
the importance of maintaining eye health, many aren't familiar with
key symptoms of dry eye, and typically wait two years between
symptom onset and seeking medical advice.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7893551-shire-dry-eye-disease-awareness
The National Eye C.A.R.E. (Current Attitudes
Related to Eye Health) Survey was conducted online by
Harris Poll in July 2015 on behalf of
Shire, and included more than 1,000 ECPs (optometrists and
ophthalmologists) and more than 1,200 adults with dry eye symptoms
(U.S. adults diagnosed with dry eye disease or experiencing dry eye
symptoms who have used artificial tears within the past month).
"Survey results highlight the expanding patient demographics
that many eye care professionals have been observing in their
practices," said Marguerite
McDonald, MD, FACS, board-certified ophthalmologist,
Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island. "While age and female gender
continue to be significant risk factors for dry eye disease, most
ECPs believe that the rise of our multi-screen lifestyle has led to
a noticeable shift, with more young adults presenting with dry eye
symptoms than in years past. Importantly, the results also suggest
that women over the age of 50, who are already known to be at
increased risk for dry eye, may also be more at risk today due to
our modern lifestyle. In today's world, adults of various ages need
to know what symptoms to look for and talk to an ECP right away if
they notice these changes in their eyes."
Dry eye disease is an inflammatory disease of the ocular surface
that is often chronic and may be progressive. The disease is most
commonly associated with dryness and overall eye discomfort, as
well as stinging, burning, a gritty feeling or episodes of blurred
vision.
Among ECPs the survey found:
- The vast majority say the use of modern technology contributes
to dry eye symptoms (92%) and that dry eye disease is becoming more
common because of today's multi-screen lifestyle (89%)
- More than three-quarters (76%) report an increase in patients
between the ages of 18-34 with dry eye symptoms compared with 10
years ago
- Nearly nine in 10 (87%) say that in today's world, there is no
one typical type of dry eye patient
According to adults with dry eye symptoms who participated in
the survey:
- Screens including computers, TVs, hand-held electronics (e.g.,
smartphones, tablets, e-readers), and video games receive primary
blame for causing their symptoms, with more than half (53%) feeling
that screen-time is responsible for their dry eyes
- Fewer respondents attribute their symptoms to other factors
like aging, lack of sleep, contact lens use, or environmental
factors
- Most (79%) say they are more aware of "feeling their eyes"
after viewing a screen and that using a screen is challenging as a
result of their dry eyes (59%)
Still, on average, adults with dry eye symptoms spend eight
hours daily in front of a screen, pointing to how difficult it may
be to disconnect even when screen time is perceived to contribute
to dry eye symptoms.
Condition May Affect Daily Activities and How People
Feel
In addition to documenting how technology is putting
more people at risk for dry eye, the survey results also reinforce
that this condition can impact people beyond the physical signs and
symptoms. Adults with dry eye symptoms say that those symptoms
affect them in various ways throughout their day. Specifically, the
survey found that:
- More than half (54%) say their dry eye symptoms impact their
job/career or ability to work
- Most report that having dry eyes impacts their ability to spend
time in front of a screen (75%), participate in hobbies (68%),
perform daily activities (64%), and/or their physical appearance
(56%)
- More than half (56%) say they know what activities are going to
cause dry eyes and try to avoid them
- More than four in 10 (43%) say their dry eye symptoms often
keep them from what they want to be doing
- Dry eye symptoms often cause annoyance (57%), fatigue (46%),
and frustration (42%)
Complicating matters further, more than half of adults with dry
eye symptoms (52%) believe that their symptoms are getting worse
over time. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) feel like dry eye symptoms are
just something they have to live with.
"Many people feel like they need to live with dry eye symptoms
and may not realize the impact of dry eye on vision, comfort, and
eye health," said Kelly K. Nichols,
O.D., MPH, Ph.D., FAAO, Dean of the University
of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. "In some cases
dry eye disease may cause damage to the ocular surface. If symptoms
are interfering with a person's daily activities in any way, then
they should seek the advice of an eye care professional."
Difficulties with Diagnosis; Many Wish Dry Eye Conversation
Started Sooner
Despite dry eye disease becoming more common,
lack of awareness and other factors may be causing patients to be
missed. According to the survey, eight in 10 ECPs believe dry
eye disease is underdiagnosed.
And, while surveyed adults with dry eye symptoms rank sight as
the sense that's most important to them (with 64% reporting that
they can't live without the sense of sight, compared to 15% for
taste and even less for other senses), most (55%) say that they did
not pay much attention to their eye care until they started
experiencing dry eye symptoms. Even then, they typically waited two
years between symptom onset and seeking the advice of a healthcare
provider. This may be because about half of adults with dry
eye symptoms (49%) dismiss them as a normal part of aging and
approximately one in three (32%) don't understand that there is
potential for long-term damage to their eyes. Still, nearly three
in five adults with dry eye symptoms (57%) say they wish they had
spoken to an eye care professional sooner, and about three in four
ECPs (74%) wish their patients had asked about their dry eye
symptoms earlier as well.
More About Dry Eye Disease
Nearly 30 million Americans
experience symptoms consistent with Dry Eye
Disease.1,2 People who think
they are experiencing possible dry eye symptoms are encouraged to
talk to an eye doctor to request screening. Visit www.myeyelove.com
to learn more about dry eye, including how to recognize symptoms,
typical risk factors and useful tips on how to discuss symptoms
with a doctor or eye care professional. Follow myeyelove on
Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for important updates on eye
health.
About the Survey
The National Eye C.A.R.E.
(Current Attitudes Related to Eye
Health) Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of
Shire between July 6 and 27,
2015. The consumer arm of the survey included a total of
1,210 US adults ages 18+ who report dry eye symptoms ("adults with
dry eye symptoms"), including 375 adults who have been diagnosed
with dry eye disease (or chronic dry eye) by a healthcare
professional ("patients") and 835 adults who have not been
diagnosed, but experience dry eye symptoms and have used artificial
tears to relieve those symptoms within the past month. The
professional arm of the survey included 1,015 US adults ages 18+
who are optometrists (n=502) or ophthalmologists (n=513) ("ECPs").
For complete research method, including weighting variables and
subgroup sample sizes, please contact Clotilde Houzé, Director,
Portfolio Communications, Shire, at chouze0@shire.com.
Shire's Commitment to Ophthalmics
In May 2014, Shire entered into
ophthalmics, solidifying its commitment to growing in this emerging
therapeutic area. Shire's multi-faceted approach to discovery,
development, and delivery in both rare diseases and specialty
conditions includes our efforts to address unmet needs in eye
care.
Shire's ophthalmics business has been driven by a combination of
strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Committed to growing its
reputation as a leading biotech company, Shire is focused on
continuing to expand its ophthalmics portfolio to include treatment
options for rare diseases and those for anterior and posterior
segment eye conditions. In just three years, acquisitions include
Foresight Biotherapeutics, SARcode Bioscience, Premacure AB, and
BIKAM Pharmaceuticals, which have helped bolster Shire's early-,
mid- and late-stage ophthalmics pipeline. The Company currently has
an ophthalmics pipeline of investigational candidates in infectious
conjunctivitis, autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, and
glaucoma.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Shire is the leading global biotechnology company focused on
serving people with rare diseases and other highly specialized
conditions. We strive to develop best-in-class products, many of
which are available in more than 100 countries, across core
therapeutic areas including Hematology, Immunology, Neuroscience,
Ophthalmics, Lysosomal Storage Disorders, Gastrointestinal /
Internal Medicine / Endocrine and Hereditary Angioedema; and a
growing franchise in Oncology.
Our employees come to work every day with a shared mission: to
develop and deliver breakthrough therapies for the hundreds of
millions of people in the world affected by rare diseases and other
high-need conditions, and who lack effective therapies to live
their lives to the fullest.
www.shire.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included herein that are not historical facts,
including without limitation statements concerning future strategy,
plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the anticipated
timing of clinical trials and approvals for, and the commercial
potential of, inline or pipeline products are forward-looking
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risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In
the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, Shire's results
could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Shire's products may not be a commercial success;
- increased pricing pressures and limits on patient access as a
result of governmental regulations and market developments may
affect Shire's future revenues, financial condition and results of
operations;
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its products and is reliant on third party contract manufacturers
to manufacture other products and to provide goods and services.
Some of Shire's products or ingredients are only available from a
single approved source for manufacture. Any disruption to the
supply chain for any of Shire's products may result in Shire being
unable to continue marketing or developing a product or may result
in Shire being unable to do so on a commercially viable basis for
some period of time;
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oversight by various regulatory agencies. Regulatory approvals or
interventions associated with changes to manufacturing sites,
ingredients or manufacturing processes could lead to significant
delays, an increase in operating costs, lost product sales, an
interruption of research activities or the delay of new product
launches;
- certain of Shire's therapies involve lengthy and complex
processes, which may prevent Shire from timely responding to market
forces and effectively managing its production capacity;
- Shire has a portfolio of products in various stages of research
and development. The successful development of these products is
highly uncertain and requires significant expenditures and time,
and there is no guarantee that these products will receive
regulatory approval;
- the actions of certain customers could affect Shire's ability
to sell or market products profitably. Fluctuations in buying or
distribution patterns by such customers can adversely affect
Shire's revenues, financial conditions or results of
operations;
- Shire's products and product candidates face substantial
competition in the product markets in which it operates, including
competition from generics;
- adverse outcomes in legal matters, tax audits and other
disputes, including Shire's ability to enforce and defend patents
and other intellectual property rights required for its business,
could have a material adverse effect on the combined company's
revenues, financial condition or results of operations;
- inability to successfully compete for highly qualified
personnel from other companies and organizations;
- failure to achieve the strategic objectives with respect to
Shire's acquisition of NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dyax Corp.
("Dyax") or Baxalta Inc. ("Baxalta")may adversely affect Shire's
financial condition and results of operations;
- Shire's growth strategy depends in part upon its ability to
expand its product portfolio through external collaborations,
which, if unsuccessful, may adversely affect the development and
sale of its products;
- a slowdown of global economic growth, or economic instability
of countries in which Shire does business, as well as changes in
foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, that adversely
impact the availability and cost of credit and customer purchasing
and payment patterns, including the collectability of customer
accounts receivable;
- failure of a marketed product to work effectively or if such a
product is the cause of adverse side effects could result in damage
to the Shire's reputation, the withdrawal of the product and legal
action against Shire;
- investigations or enforcement action by regulatory authorities
or law enforcement agencies relating to Shire's activities in the
highly regulated markets in which it operates may result in
significant legal costs and the payment of substantial compensation
or fines;
- Shire is dependent on information technology and its systems
and infrastructure face certain risks, including from service
disruptions, the loss of sensitive or confidential information,
cyber-attacks and other security breaches or data leakages that
could have a material adverse effect on Shire's revenues, financial
condition or results of operations;
- Shire incurred substantial additional indebtedness to finance
the Baxalta acquisition, which may decrease its business
flexibility and increase borrowing costs;
- difficulties in integrating Dyax or Baxalta into Shire may lead
to the combined company not being able to realize the expected
operating efficiencies, cost savings, revenue enhancements,
synergies or other benefits at the time anticipated or at all;
and
other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in
Shire's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including those risks outlined in "ITEM 1A: Risk Factors" in
Shire's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 2016.
All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person
acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by
this cautionary statement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of
the date hereof. Except to the extent otherwise required by
applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or
revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
1 Paulsen AJ, Cruickshanks KJ, Fischer
ME, et al. Dry eye in the Beaver Dam Offspring Study: prevalence,
risk factors, and health-related quality of life. Am J Ophthalmol.
2014;157(4):799-806.
2 Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States, Counties, and
Puerto Rico Commonwealth and
Municipios: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2014. U.S. Census Bureau,
Population Division. June 2015.
S12035
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