1 April 2019 - - US-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) has launched HepConnect, a five-year initiative aimed at addressing the sharp increase in chronic hepatitis C infections fueled by the nation's opioid crisis, the company said.

In partnership with the Harm Reduction Coalition and local organisations, the initiative will support evidence-based solutions to meet the needs of people most affected by the opioid crisis in Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the increase in injection drug use has led to a more than tripling of new HCV infections in greater Appalachia.

The CDC reports that in central Appalachia, HCV infections rose 364% between 2006 and 2012.

Currently, 2.4m people are living with HCV in the United States and an estimated 50% of those infected aren't aware they have the virus.

HepConnect builds on Gilead's long-term commitment and history of addressing HCV in impacted populations globally.

HepConnect will prioritise three programmatic areas, including expanding screening and linkage to care,
supporting harm reduction and community education and activating healthcare infrastructure.

In December 2018, Gilead launched a call for proposals from national and regional organisations with harm reduction expertise.

The Harm Reduction Coalition was selected as the lead grantee because of its capacity to guide strategic planning across the program, provide technical assistance and manage grant opportunities that support harm reduction and community education work in the initiative's target states.

HepConnect is a five-year, multi-million dollar initiative to help address the increase in HCV infections in greater Appalachia, focused on expanding HCV screening, linking people to care, improving healthcare professional education and supporting evidence-based harm reduction services through partnerships.

Harm Reduction Coalition is a national advocacy and capacity-building organization that promotes the health and dignity of individuals and communities impacted by drug use. HRC advances policies and programs that help people address the adverse effects of drug use, including overdose, HIV, hepatitis C and incarceration. HRC maintains offices in New York, NY; Oakland, CA; and Washington, DC. 

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.