| Dear Health Care Professional, |
| At this time of heightened concern for public health, our priority is the health and wellbeing of our patients, employees and local communities. We are actively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to share the actions we are taking to protect our people, support our customers, and ensure our medicines get to the patients who need them. |
| Supply and distribution |
| While we are not currently experiencing supply issues for our portfolio of medicines related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation. |
| We have business continuity and mitigation strategies ready and we''re working closely with health authorities; federal, state and local governments; and distribution partners to best meet the needs of patients. |
| Actemra and COVID-19 |
| On March 18, we publicly announced that we are working with the U.S. FDA to initiate a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Actemra? (tocilizumab) plus standard of care in hospitalized adult patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia compared to placebo plus standard of care. This trial is being done in collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). |
| This is the first global study of Actemra in this setting and is expected to begin enrolling in early April with a target of approximately 330 patients globally, including the U.S. This trial is vital because there are no well-controlled studies and limited published evidence on the safety or efficacy of Actemra in the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19. Actemra is not currently approved for this use by any health authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). |
| Roche Diagnostics new cobas? SARS-CoV-2 assay |
| Roche Diagnostics, a member of the Roche Group, is working to ensure the greatest access of the cobas? SARS-CoV-2 Test for patients in the U.S. – and the rest of the world – by bringing together the nation’s public-health interests with the development and testing capacities of the private sector. In close consultation with the government, Roche Diagnostics is supporting the national public health strategy by prioritizing access of the test to: |
| 1. | Large commercial laboratories – with the necessary instruments in place – that can quickly collect, process and move samples to maximize testing capabilities and provide the widest geographic coverage. | | 2. | Hospitals and laboratories in geographic regions that are currently experiencing large-scale community spread of infection. | |
| If you have questions about Roche Diagnostics new cobas? SARS-CoV-2 assay, please contact Roche HCP Support at: 1(866) 987-6243. |
| Our work environment |
| Genentech takes the health and safety of our patients, employees, their families and our local communities very seriously, and we are actively responding to the COVID-19 issue. As a company, we are taking the following actions: |
| • | Requiring those who are able to work from home to do so across all of our sites. | | • | Encouraging all virtual rather than in-person interactions across the country to continue to meet our customers’ and their patients’ needs. | | • | Restricting access to our South San Francisco and Vacaville campuses to personnel necessary to carry out essential biotech business continuity activities in response to Bay Area shelter-in-place orders. | | • | Restricting all global and domestic company air travel only to trips that support business continuity. | | • | Cancelling/postponing in-person Genentech meetings and events. | | • | Suspending visitor access to our campuses and conducting virtual meetings. | | • | Engaging our on-site medical teams, who are trained and ready to respond 24/7. | | • | Working closely with appropriate health authorities and fully complying with all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and applicable local government regulations and protocols. | |
| Clinical trials |
| During this unprecedented time, we remain committed to supporting you and your patients, and our teams welcome the opportunity to engage with you virtually. We are working closely with the FDA, clinical trial sites and vendors to ensure patient safety and data integrity as we execute continuity plans to protect our clinical trials. |
| How to find out more |
| If you have questions, please visit our COVID-19 response page for additional support resources and up-to-date information about how we are responding to COVID-19. In addition, for up-to-date information on supply and distribution of our medicines, you can also contact Genentech Customer Service at 1(800) 551-2231 or your local Genentech contact. |
| Thank you for your partnership as we navigate this challenging time and focus on continuing to deliver for patients. |
 |
| Alexander Hardy |
| Chief Executive Officer, Genentech |
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