Tibotec Therapeutics Announces Recipients of LINCC™ Funding Initiative

TITUSVILLE, N.J., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Tibotec Therapeutics Clinical Affairs, a division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Services, LLC, today announced the funding recipients of the LINCC™ (Linking In-Need Communities to Care) Initiative, which provides charitable contributions to select community-based programs that address barriers to HIV/AIDS care in disadvantaged communities. For more information about the LINCC Initiative, please visit http://www.ttgrants.com.

Recipients received charitable contributions of up to $40,000 in support of programs designed to address personal, societal and structural barriers to care for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in their communities.  Funded programs addressed well documented barriers such as mental health issues and substance use, stigma and isolation, health literacy, fear of HIV medications, and lack of personal support structures.

The following 14 organizations received funding through the LINCC Initiative:

• AIDS Service Center NYC (NY)
• APEL Health Services (FL)
• BASIC NWFL, Inc. (FL)
• Brothas & Sistas Inc. (The Living Affected Corp) (AR)
• Center for Health Justice (CA)
• Christie's Place (CA)
• Community Education Group (DC)
• HEROES (LA)
• IRIS House (NY)
• LIGHT Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, Inc. (MD)
• Quest Center, Sisters of Serenity, Inc. (OR)
• Sisters of Serenity, Inc. (TX)
• South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council (SC)
• WORLD (CA)

"Tibotec Therapeutics is pleased to provide funding to these outstanding organizations through the LINCC Initiative," said Glenn Mattes, president, Tibotec Therapeutics. "We are committed to helping people living with HIV access and stay in care and believe that the proposed programs will make a meaningful difference for patients."

Addressing barriers to care in underserved communities is an ongoing commitment for Tibotec Therapeutics, and the company recognizes the unique obstacles women encounter, including stigma, family obligations and lack of support systems. The company recently published results from the GRACE (Gender, Race and Clinical Experience) study, which examined gender differences in response to an HIV therapy in treatment-experienced adults with HIV-1. GRACE was designed in partnership with the HIV community and used novel strategies to successfully recruit women and people of color in the U.S. Tibotec Therapeutics is continuing its commitment to women by allocating half of the funding from the LINCC Initiative to programs focusing specifically on women and their unique barriers to care.

The LINCC Initiative also extends Tibotec Therapeutics' tradition of funding endeavors that address areas of significant unmet need in the HIV/AIDS community. The 2008 STEP (Strengthening Treatment Education for People Living with HIV/AIDS) Initiative awarded 12 contributions to improve HIV/AIDS treatment education in underserved communities, and Tibotec Therapeutics Clinical Affairs launched the Black Adolescent MSM (men who have sex with men) Initiative in 2009. The LINCC Initiative is the third annual funding project for Tibotec Therapeutics Clinical Affairs.  In total, these three initiatives have contributed more than $1.3 million to community-based HIV/AIDS service organizations in the U.S. since 2008.

All U.S.-based 501(c)3, tax-exempt organizations focusing on HIV/AIDS were eligible to submit proposals to the LINCC Initiative. Submissions were assessed based on their potential to address and overcome significant barriers to HIV care and treatment, and to link diagnosed patients to medical care. Proposals described the specific barriers, how they would be addressed by the program, the intended outcomes of the programs and how success would be measured.

About HIV in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-third of people diagnosed with HIV in the U.S. are not currently receiving care and/or treatment. Documented barriers to care include fear of medication side effects; lack of information or low health literacy; denial or stigma of disease; substance use or mental health challenges; and lack of support services. Studies show that earlier access to care can prolong life, improve health outcomes and potentially prevent new infections, while late initiation of care has been associated with higher mortality.

About Tibotec Therapeutics

Tibotec Therapeutics, a division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., headquartered in Titusville, NJ, is dedicated to delivering innovative virology therapeutics that help healthcare professionals address serious unmet needs in people living with HIV.

SOURCE Tibotec Therapeutics