Sanofi Oncology And Colon Cancer Coalition Join Forces To Raise Awareness Of Colorectal Cancer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and the Colon Cancer Coalition/Get Your Rear in Gear have collaborated to raise awareness of colorectal cancer in Cambridge, Massachusetts by asking the Mayor to sign a proclamation decreeing today, March 6 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day in Cambridge. Sanofi Oncology and Get Your Rear in Gear are encouraging the local community to get screened for colorectal cancer and maintain a healthy lifestyle as a means of prevention and early detection.  

"I applaud Sanofi Oncology and Colon Cancer Coalition on their collaborative efforts to raise awareness of colorectal cancer in the Cambridge community," said Henrietta Davis, Mayor of the City of Cambridge. "Educating our citizens on prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer is key to fighting this terrible illness."

"We're proud to partner with Sanofi Oncology to raise awareness of colorectal cancer," said Anne Carlson, Executive Director, Colon Cancer Coalition/Get Your Rear in Gear. "I know that patients and caregivers appreciate the efforts undertaken to proclaim Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day in Cambridge, as it provides a voice to spread the word about colorectal cancer."

Today's proclamation underscores Sanofi Oncology's ongoing commitment to the Cambridge community, as evidenced through the company's strong business presence and research partnerships with local academia, hospitals, biotech and research institutions. Sanofi Oncology currently has nine partnerships ongoing in the Cambridge area alone.

"At Sanofi Oncology, our mission goes beyond developing innovative medicines and ensuring their availability," said Debasish Roychowdhury, M.D., Senior Vice President and Head, Sanofi Oncology. "Through initiatives like today's proclamation ceremony, we're educating patients and the public about various cancers, prevention, and treatments, to ultimately promote a healthy way of life in the Cambridge community."

About Colorectal Cancer

In 2010, 142,570 new cases were diagnosed and 51,370 people died from colorectal cancer in the United States. When colorectal cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is nearly 90 percent. However, when the cancer is not diagnosed until a late state, the five-year survival rate is closer to 10 percent. In the past ten years, colon cancer screening rates have increased, but rates still remain low, especially among the uninsured. According to the American Cancer Society, men and women should begin screening for colon cancer at age 50. If the entire population was screened at that age, the number of colorectal cancer-related deaths would be cut in half.

About the Colon Cancer Coalition /Get Your Rear in Gear

Get Your Rear in Gear ^® events are presented nationally by the Colon Cancer Coalition, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis. The events are 100% volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. The Colon Cancer Coalition distributes funds raised at Get Your Rear in Gear events back into local communities for colon cancer education, prevention, and screening. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer.  A history of the organization, upcoming events, and a list of programs receiving funding from the Colon Cancer Coalition can be found at GetYourRearinGear.com.

About Sanofi Oncology

At Sanofi Oncology, the patient is our inspiration. We are dedicated to translating science into effective therapeutics that address unmet medical needs for cancer and organ transplant patients. Through our global organization of talented and passionate employees, we are building a renewed and diversified portfolio, driven by the principles of innovation, personalization and patient access to medicines. We believe that delivering innovative treatment solutions requires collaboration with external experts, which is why we partner our own internal expertise with the best experts in scientific discovery and clinical research around the world.

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