BeiGene Launches Talk About It Program to Elevate the Importance of Addressing Mental Health during Cancer Care

BeiGene (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global biotechnology company, today announced the launch of a new program, Talk About It: Cancer and Mental Health, designed to elevate the important intersection of mental health and cancer care to help improve health outcomes for cancer patients.

Aimed at patients and caregivers, healthcare professionals and policymakers, Talk About It draws attention to mental health care as a critical component of quality cancer care. Data shows that up to a quarter of people living with cancer are also living with depression, and about half are at risk for clinically significant anxiety.ⁱTalk About It will feature innovative empowerment strategies, advance public policy conversations, and inspire dynamic health equity initiatives to support people throughout their entire cancer journey.

“At BeiGene, our core value is putting patients first. We not only want to create impactful medicines for patients globally, but we also want to truly transform cancer care by supporting the whole patient - not just treat their disease," said Maia Thrift Perry, Executive Director, Patient Advocacy & Public Health Policy, BeiGene. “By bringing visibility to the importance of mental health and cancer care, this campaign will take an important step toward improving health outcomes for cancer patients by looking at the patient holistically when it comes to treatment."

Research Partnership

With guidance from an expert panel, BeiGene kicked off a collaboration with the Cancer Support Community (CSC) around cancer and mental health, beginning with a survey of more than 600 US cancer patients and survivors to learn how cancer affected their mental health, how that experience was addressed by their care providers, what barriers they faced, and what resources they found most helpful.

CSC is a global nonprofit organization that provides free emotional support, navigation and resources to cancer patients and their loved ones. As part of their mission, they are dedicated to inspiring change that improves the cancer experience by engaging in research that sheds light on the realities of coping with a cancer diagnosis. Initial results from the survey will be shared in the coming weeks, with highlights provided at an event for patient advocates and healthcare providers at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting in December.

“The good news is that there are treatments for feeling anxious or depressed,” said CSC’s CEO Debbie Weir. “At CSC, we have been expanding our support programs and services with new, innovative offerings along with engaging in meaningful research to help address these urgent concerns. We are proud to partner with BeiGene in this urgent work and applaud them for their commitment to prioritizing the patients’ wellbeing.”

Expert Advisory Panel

As part of BeiGene’s commitment to caring for the whole patient, the company convened an expert advisory panel comprised of experts in mental health, oncology, patient advocacy, and behavioral science to guide the company’s work in supporting the mental health of those impacted by cancer. Inaugural members include:

• Allison Applebaum, PhD, Associate Attending Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Elizabeth Archer-Nanda, DNP, APRN; Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Norton Cancer Center Institute, Behavioral Oncology Program
• Terry Evans, Trained Patient Advocate and Cancer Survivor; Director, CLL Society Support and Education Network
• Joseph Greer, PhD, Co-Director, Cancer Outcomes Research & Education Program, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
• Heather Honoré Goltz, PhD, LCSW, MEd; Professor of Social Work & Interim Assistant Department Chair, Department of Criminal Justice & Social Work, University of Houston-Downtown
• Nicole Peeke, LCSW, ACHP-SW; Social Worker, Adult Hematology/ Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope
• Alexandra Zaleta, PhD, Vice President of Research, Cancer Support Community

Resource Development

In the coming months, BeiGene will be working collaboratively with cancer and mental health advocates to mobilize resources and share a series of patient and provider-centric initiatives designed to talk about cancer and mental health. These digital and printed resources for patients, caregivers and health care professionals will highlight the impact a cancer diagnosis can have on mental health and provide helpful tools and links to resources offered by leading patient advocacy organizations and others to help patients and caregivers navigate their individual cancer journeys and mental health care needs.

To learn more about Talk About It, visit, http://www.beigene.com/for-patients/cancer-mental-health/.

About BeiGene

BeiGene is a global biotechnology company that is developing and commercializing innovative and affordable oncology medicines to improve treatment outcomes and access for far more patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 9,000 colleagues spans five continents, with administrative offices in Beijing, China; Cambridge, U.S.; and Basel, Switzerland. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding BeiGene’s plans, strategies, commitments, aspirations, and goals for the Talk About It program, and BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations and goals under the caption “About BeiGene”. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene's ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene's ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene's ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene's reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, commercialization, and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BeiGene’s clinical development, regulatory, commercial, manufacturing, and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene's subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.

ⁱ Krebber et al. (2013). Prevalence of depression in cancer patients: a meta-analysis of diagnostic interviews and self-report instruments. Psycho-oncology, 23(2), 121-30; Cancer Support Community (2022). Spotlight on Mental Health.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221115005412/en/