4 Paws for Ability Joins Eisai at 8th Annual National Walk for Epilepsy to Raise Awareness of the Benefits of Animal Assistance for People with Seizure Disorders

Eisai Supports Epilepsy Foundation as Sponsor of Walk

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Mar 17, 2014, 08:15 ET

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. announced today that it is a sponsor of the Epilepsy Foundation's 8^th Annual National Walk for Epilepsy in Washington D.C., a family-oriented event to raise awareness and funds to continue the fight to stop seizures, find a cure and overcome the challenges created by epilepsy. Eisai, a long-time supporter of the Epilepsy Foundation, will be joined at the walk by 4 Paws for Ability (4 Paws), a non-profit organization focused on the training and placement of service dogs for children with a variety of conditions, including epilepsy.

As part of the company's ongoing commitment to epilepsy care, this year Eisai is spearheading a unique collaboration with 4 Paws and the Epilepsy Foundation to raise awareness of the many benefits that animals can provide those living with epilepsy. The collaboration among the partners aims to support the training and placement of service dogs, through 4 Paws, to children with seizure disorders. 4 Paws employs a unique approach to training seizure assistance dogs that tailors each dog's skills and behaviors to the needs of the child it will be supporting. These animals are trained to alert the child's family when they are having a seizure and may even be able to detect seizures before they happen.^1,2 In addition, seizure assistance dogs can provide emotional support to their owners and help them gain independence in their lives.¹

Recently, Eisai's fundraising activities helped place seizure assistance dog Thule with Becky Penders, who lives with epilepsy and autism. "I really can't thank Eisai and 4 Paws enough for the support and love our family gets from Thule," said Thomas Penders, Becky's father. "Before she came into our lives, my wife and I were in a constant state of worry and stress. Now we feel comfortable knowing that Thule is there to watch over Becky and alert us when she has a seizure, and he has a calming effect on her."

The Walk, which unites thousands of families living with epilepsy each year, will feature activities beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, 2014, on the Washington Monument grounds in Washington, D.C. Eisai is sponsoring a booth at the Walk where visitors can talk with 4 Paws training director Jeremy Dulebohn. He will be accompanied by a local family who will speak to walk attendees about the impact their seizure assistance dog has had on their lives.

"We at Eisai are committed to innovative solutions in healthcare and actively seek collaborative partnerships that can support patients along their unique journeys," said Christine Verini, vice president, Corporate Communications and Advocacy at Eisai Inc. "The difference a seizure assistance dog can make in the daily life of their owner is amazing and we are honored to be working with 4 Paws and the Epilepsy Foundation to increase awareness about the benefits that this kind of support can provide to individuals with epilepsy."

For more information on the Epilepsy Foundation's National Walk for Epilepsy, please visit www.WalkForEpilepsy.org. For more information on 4 Paws for Ability, please visit www.4PawsForAbility.org.

About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions. According to the Institute of Medicine, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting 2.2 million people in the United States.³ Beyond providing a place of support for the community, the Epilepsy Foundation's National Walk for Epilepsy has raised more than $5 million in the past five years for epilepsy research as well as programs and services for people with epilepsy.

About Eisai Inc.
At Eisai Inc., human health care is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families, and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., our passionate commitment to patient care is the driving force behind our efforts to help address unmet medical needs. We are a fully integrated pharmaceutical business with discovery, clinical, manufacturing and marketing capabilities. Our key areas of commercial focus include oncology and specialty care (Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and metabolic disorders). To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at www.eisai.com/US.

Eisai Inc. has affiliates that are part of a global product creation organization that includes R&D facilities in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, as well as a global demand chain organization that includes manufacturing facilities in Maryland and North Carolina. Eisai's global areas of R&D focus include neuroscience, oncology, metabolic disorders, vascular, inflammatory and immunological reaction, and antibody-based programs.

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