The Lewy Body Dementia Association and Acadia Pharmaceuticals to Release Educational Version of the Highly Acclaimed Robin Williams Documentary, “Robin’s Wish”

ATLANTA & SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 14, 2020– The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) and Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD) announced today an exclusive partnership on the production and release of a disease education adaptation of the new film Robin’s Wish^©, a documentary detailing the late actor Robin Williams’ courageous battle with the neurodegenerative disorder, Lewy body dementia (LBD).

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The film, SPARK – Robin Williams and his Battle with Lewy Body Dementia^©, will go beyond describing LBD through the lens of Williams’ personal experience and delve into the neurobiology of the disease and associated symptoms to help educate the medical community on the second most common form of degenerative dementia. Lewy body dementia is also the most misdiagnosed dementia, and healthcare provider education is needed to enable early recognition, diagnosis and treatment.

While the full-length film is available on demand and via digital channels, the adaptation, will be available to major academic research institutions and universities as part of educational programming and outreach to the healthcare professionals, the LBD community and general public. The film will be available starting in late October.

“Robin Williams unknowingly battled LBD and unfortunately, he is not alone. This version of the documentary will not only raise awareness of Lewy body dementia, but reinforce the importance of early symptom recognition, diagnosis and effective management of this devastating disease, and can serve as a key element in our educational offering,” said Todd Graham, Executive Director, Lewy Body Dementia Association.

Approximately 8 million people in the United States are living with dementia, although only half are diagnosed with the condition.^1,2,3 In addition to cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions and changes in behavior, are also common. Lewy body dementia affects approximately 1.4 million people and their families in the United States alone.⁴

“The use of scientific storytelling is an important opportunity to increase knowledge within the medical community on the need for better diagnostic and disease management solutions. Our goal is to ensure people struggling with LBD get the comprehensive support they need,” said Ponni Subbiah, M.D., M.P.H., Senior Vice President, Global Head of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at Acadia. “We are honored to partner with the LBDA and share a commitment to shine a light on the challenges that people with Lewy body dementia and their caregivers face.”

About Lewy Body Dementia Association

The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) is the nation’s leading authority on Lewy body dementias (LBD) and is dedicated to continuous outreach, education, research, and support for those affected with LBD and their families. LBD is a progressive brain disease that affects thinking, movement, behavior, and impacts 1.4 million people in the United States.

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals

Acadia is trailblazing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life through science. For more than 25 years we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialize the first and only approved therapy for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Our late-stage development efforts are focused on dementia-related psychosis, negative symptoms of schizophrenia and Rett syndrome, and in early-stage clinical research we are exploring novel approaches to pain management, cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms in central nervous system disorders. For more information, visit us at www.acadia-pharm.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

References

¹ Plassman, BL Langa KM, Fisher GG, et al. Prevalence of dementia in the United States: the aging, demographics, and memory study. Neuroepidemiology. 2007;29(1-2):125-132.
² Goodman RA, Lochner KA, Thambisetty M, Wingo TS, Posner SF, Ling SM. Prevalence of dementia subtypes in United States Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2011-2013. Alzheimers Dement. 2017;13(1):28-37.
³ Hebert LE, Weuve J, Scherr PA, Evans DA. Alzheimer disease in the United States (2010-2050) estimated using the 2010 census. Neurology. 2013;80(19):1778-1783.
⁴ Lewy Body Dementia Association www.lbda.org.

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Lewy Body Dementia Association
Angela Taylor
(814) 826-4150
ataylor@lbda.org

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Eric Endicott
(858) 914-7161
media@acadia-pharm.com