iBIO Commends Illinois the Life Sciences Community for its Impact through the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iBIO today announced that since the March 23^rd launch of the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund, the Illinois life sciences community is making a significant impact in the fight against the coronavirus. As of this morning, the fund has received more than $760,000 in cash contributions and thousands of donated supplies.

iBIO is directing monetary donations to its BIO Business Solutions lab supply partner, which places ongoing orders for personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment to meet the urgent needs of first responders, nurses and doctors throughout Illinois. Through this fund, iBIO has purchased

• 50,300 gloves
• 13,500 items of protective clothing
• 12,000 surgical masks
• 1,100 supplies for coronavirus testing
• 3,000 goggles plus other PPE items

Product donations include:

• 5,000 supplies for coronavirus testing
• 3,620 N95 masks
• 2,430 surgical masks
• 2,430 hand bottles of hand sanitizer

Purchased items are sent to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), which distributes the products to healthcare and emergency response systems statewide to ensure that the supply is equitable.

Starting today and continuing each Monday, iBIO is posting weekly updates on the fund and its impact.

Expansion of corporate support

On Thursday, April 2^nd, Astellas Pharma US announced sponsorship of the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund as part of up to $2 million in new financial assistance, in aggregate, that Astellas and the Astellas Global Health Foundation will be providing to support patients, healthcare workers and first responders in local and global communities. Astellas is the second Illinois-based life sciences company to offer significant support to the fund, following last week’s donation from Horizon Therapeutics.

“We are grateful that a portion of Astellas’ commitment will support the iBIO COVID-19 PPE Response Fund, which will be used to purchase life-saving equipment for nurses, doctors and paramedics,” said iBIO President and CEO John Conrad. “These heroes continue to show up for battle despite the great risks to their health and to the health of their families. Thank you, Astellas.”

“With this fund and our community’s leadership, we are making an immediate impact. We ask other organizations and individuals to join Horizon and Astellas in supporting our frontline healthcare workers,” added Conrad. “Please donate unused medical products or a make a financial donation to iBIO’s COVD-19 PPE Response Fund.”

About iBIO

The Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization (iBIO) is a life sciences industry association that represents the 85,000 life sciences employees at member companies, universities, service providers and venture firms. iBIO promotes the industry’s value to the public and policymakers; connects innovators to investment and talent; stimulates collaboration and fosters the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to transform patient lives through groundbreaking research and works to grow the Illinois economy. For more information, please visit www.iBIO.org.