Egetis Therapeutics asks for hugs to increase disease awareness of MCT8 deficiency
February 24, 2022
Stockholm, Sweden, February 24, 2022 – Egetis Therapeutics AB (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm: EGTX) today launched #MCT8Hugs – a global, online initiative to drive awareness of MCT8 deficiency.
MCT8 deficiency is a rare and life-shortening genetic disease, causing serious consequences such as severely impaired neurocognitive development and motor function. In most of those affected, this results in an inability to maintain head control, sit independently and walk. In addition, MCT8 deficiency is associated with a state of chronic thyrotoxicosis manifested by severe underweight, muscle wasting and cardiovascular abnormalities. The disease only affects males, and the first symptoms usually emerge within the first months after birth. While rare, there is a universal need to improve the recognition, understanding and diagnosis of this devastating disease.
At the end of 2021, Egetis Therapeutics launched disease awareness initiatives including the global Cuddly Toy Campaign to drive better awareness of MCT8 deficiency among healthcare professionals and support diagnosis. This powerful campaign features a series of cuddly toys with tilted heads, synonymous with the inability of affected boys to hold up their heads. The campaign includes a series of advertisements as well as the website www.mct8deficiency.com and was recently shortlisted by the prestigious 2022 Pharmaceutical Marketing Society awards in London , https://pmsociety.org.uk/about-the-pm-society/.
Egetis Therapeutics is now asking everyone to get behind this campaign by sharing a selfie featuring their favourite cuddly toy. #MCT8Hugs will run across all social media platforms with particular emphasis on Rare Disease Day (February 28, 2022), Thyroid Day (May 25, 2022) and World MCT8-AHDS Day (October 8, 2022). “We’d like to create a small online movement to help generate better awareness of MCT8 deficiency, support diagnosis and improve the situation for the affected families” said Henrik Krook, VP Commercial Operations, Egetis Therapeutics. “Please spend a few minutes engaging in, and sharing, this selfie campaign as it really could help drive a serious message for a devastating disease that’s currently underrecognized”, he continued.