NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) announced that more than 1,300 employees are rallying together in support of community service initiatives focused on health, wellness, and education as part of the Company’s second annual Global Day of Service. Alexion has partnered with non-profit organizations in nearly 30 of the Company’s local communities across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia to coordinate service projects that will have a positive impact on neighborhoods and people in need. Volunteers will beautify facilities, hold educational and training workshops, prepare meals and care packages, and much more.

“At Alexion, we are committed to enriching the communities where we live and work as we pursue our mission of developing and delivering life-changing therapies for patients with rare diseases,” said Ludwig Hantson, Chief Executive Officer of Alexion. “We are excited to build on the success and momentum of last year’s inaugural Global Day of Service with our second annual event that supports our company values and tackles some of the most pressing needs in our local neighborhoods.”

In 2016, Alexion employees provided more than 7,500 service hours to communities around the world during its first Global Day of Service. Activities included beautifying local schools, parks, and homeless shelters; preparing meals for families and individuals facing an illness; and leading activities for adults and children with special needs.

Alexion’s second annual Global Day of Service activities include:

North America

• New Haven, CT: Transforming the Celentano Biotech, Health, and Medical Magnet School and Wallingford Emergency Shelter, a program of Columbus House, by building new furniture, painting murals, landscaping, and more. Volunteers will also pack meals for Rise Against Hunger and assemble kits for people spending their first night at a homeless shelter.
• Boston, MA: Volunteering at the Community Academy of Science and Health, where employees will coach students on career development, paint murals, and assemble furniture.
• Holden, MA: Working with the Be Like Brit Foundation, an organization dedicated to serving the children of Haiti, to organize and package items to be sent to an orphanage in Haiti.
• Smithfield, RI: Returning to Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School to beautify the interior and exterior of the school as well as coordinate a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fair.
• Bogart, GA: Partnering with Extra Special People to work at a camp for children with developmental disabilities.
• Washington, DC: Partnering with Martha’s Table at the Joyful Food Market, a monthly community event designed to reduce hunger and increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Mexico City, Mexico: Waterproofing the roof of DAYA, a foster home that supports at-risk adolescent girls, and playing volleyball and planting a vegetable garden with the residents.
• Vaughan, Canada: Volunteering at the Yellow Brick House, a non-profit organization that offers shelter, counseling, and other services to women and children who are impacted by domestic violence.

Europe

• Zurich, Switzerland: Participating in a variety of activities including visiting the Zurich Zoo with children suffering from rare diseases in partnership with the Foundation for People with Rare Diseases (KMSK); playing bingo with the inhabitants of two retirement centers in Zurich (Alterszentrum Herzogenmühle and Sydefädeli); and partnering with Foundation St. Jakob to work with people with impairments in a local bakery and packaging facility.
• London, UK: Participating in a beautification project at Sweet Tree Farming for All, a facility for children and young adults with a variety of care and support needs.
• Birmingham, UK: Participating in arts and crafts and Christmas present wrapping at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
• Dublin, Ireland: Painting at Coolmine Therapeutic Centre, a rehabilitation center.
• Athlone, Ireland: Helping to transform the Midlands Simon Community homeless emergency accommodation.
• Madrid, Spain: Partnering with Grupo AMAS, an organization that supports and promotes the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, to participate in an improvisation workshop called Theater for Inclusion.
• Barcelona, Spain: Teaming up with Fundacio Finestrelles, an organization that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities, to improve the grounds and hold educational workshops.
• Belgium and The Netherlands: Maintaining indoor and outdoor facilities at Kampenhoeve de STER, an animal therapy center that serves children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities.
• Milan, Italy: Planting ginkgo biloba trees at a local park.
• Rome, Italy: Cleaning up a local park, maintaining benches, and planting.
• Munich, Germany: Participating in a variety of local volunteer projects, including furnishing and decorating schools, preparing and distributing meals, providing science and health education workshops, and assisting in a repair shop run by disabled individuals.
• Prague, Czech Republic: Partnering with the Hospital of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Charles Borromeo to prepare Christmas cakes that will be sold during fundraising events for the hospital.

Asia

• Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Partnering with Dar al Ber Society, a humanitarian network, to collect food and other items for people in need.
• Shanghai, China: Participating in a charity run to raise funds to provide meals for students in rural and impoverished areas.
• Tokyo, Japan: Teaming up with Arakawa Clean Fund to take part in a river clean-up project; gardening and arranging a petting zoo for children at Keifuku Ikujikai Azabus Infants' Home; and hosting an after-school cooking class for local children with disabilities at the School Center Himawari Batake.
• Mumbai, India: Hosting a fun and educational event for children from underserved communities.

Turkey

• Istanbul, Turkey: Hosting cooking and art workshops for Dusler Akademisi, an organization that provides cultural and artistic training free of charge for disabled and socially disadvantaged youth.

Latin America

• Sao Paulo, Brazil: Painting and repairing a health center.
• Bogota, Colombia: Participating in beautification projects that include painting and cleaning at Pasquilla School, an under-served local school.
• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Providing support to Hogar Cura Brochero, an organization that offers services and asylum for the homeless.

Australia

• Frenchs Forest, Australia: Joining OzHarvest’s “Cooking for a Cause” cooking class to transform rescued food into restaurant-quality meals that are then delivered to local communities in need.

About Alexion

Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and delivering life-transforming therapies for patients with devastating and rare disorders. Alexion is the global leader in complement inhibition and has developed and commercializes the first and only approved complement inhibitor to treat patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), and anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). In addition, Alexion has two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare metabolic disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D). As the leader in complement biology for over 20 years, Alexion focuses its research efforts on novel molecules and targets in the complement cascade, and its development efforts on the core therapeutic areas of hematology, nephrology, neurology, and metabolic disorders. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com.

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CONTACT:

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Kim Diamond, 475-230-3775
Executive Director, Corporate Communications
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Mandy Fahey, 475-230-3778
Director, Corporate Communications