Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Partners with Donate Life NC on Gift of Life Gala

CARY, N.C., U.S.A. (April 18, 2023) – Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce its support of Donate Life North Carolina as the premier sponsor of the 2023 Gift of Life Gala: heART of the Matter on Thursday, April 20th at the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C.

At this year’s gala, Donate Life NC will celebrate a milestone – 5.5 million North Carolinians registered through the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as organ, eye and tissue donors, which represents 56% of all drivers in the state¹. And with more than 3,000 North Carolina residents currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant – that number is significant. Funding from the event, including sponsorship dollars, general donations and proceeds from ticket sales, is crucial to advancing Donate Life NC’s effort of providing necessary resources to reach all 100 counties across the state.

Funds from the event will advance Donate Life NC’s life-saving work by supporting organ donation education and awareness across the state, including:

• DMV examiner training for all new examiners
• Curriculum materials for all North Carolina driver education and 9th grade health teachers
• Public awareness campaigns on both the registry and living donation
• Community Conversation programs like Shop Talk, an outreach program bringing conversations around organ donation to locally-owned barber shops
• Maintenance of the state organ donor registry
• Public awareness campaigns on both the registry and living donation

“Veloxis Pharmaceuticals is pleased to partner with Donate Life NC on the Gift of Life Gala and their ongoing efforts to inspire North Carolina residents to save lives by registering as organ donors,” says Mark Hensley, CEO of Veloxis, an Asahi Kasei company. “At Veloxis, we believe that we will achieve more through our shared commitment to transplant medicine, and supporting organizations like Donate Life NC is just one of many ways we hope to positively impact transplantation in the years ahead.”

On the evening of the event, guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and a seated dinner, a silent auction of original artwork, entertainment, and a special presentation of the James E. Holshouser Award – Donate Life NC’s highest award – to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

"We are thrilled to have Veloxis as a partner in saving and healing lives right here in North Carolina. Their support of Donate Life NC through the gala and our living donor outreach means more community connections in all 100 counties and ultimately more lives saved," says Deanna Kerrigan, executive director of Donate Life NC.

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc, an Asahi Kasei company, is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of transplant patients. Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, USA, Veloxis is focused on the global development and commercialization of medications utilized by transplant patients and by patients with serious related diseases. For further information, please visit Veloxis.com.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 40,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Healthcare. Its healthcare operations include devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic apheresis, transfusion, and manufacture of biotherapeutics, as well as pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents. For further information, please visit Asahi-Kasei.com.

About Donate Life North Carolina

Donate Life North Carolina is a collaborative group of organizations that promote eye, organ and tissue donation. Working together, the member organizations are directly involved in supporting donor families and facilitating organ, eye and tissue transplants across the state. Our mission is to inspire all North Carolina residents to save and enhance lives by registering as organ, eye and tissue donors. Learn more at DonateLifeNC.org.

1. Donor registration data provided by Donate Life North Carolina, April 2023.