The Larry King Cardiac Foundation Receives $100,000 Grant from Lilly to Support 'Save a Heart a Day' Needy patients also will have access to medication through Lilly patient assistance program WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Larry King Cardiac Foundation (LKCF) announces a new partnership with Eli Lilly and Company to help combat heart disease. In support of the Foundation's ambitious goal to "save a heart a day," Lilly has committed to a $100,000 grant as well as donation of the vital anti-thrombotic medication, ReoPro(R) (abciximab) through Lilly's patient assistance program, Lilly Cares.* This effort greatly enhances the Foundation's efforts to provide life- saving cardiac care for those who cannot afford it. Many of those individuals might not be alive today without the help of the foundation or they would be facing large medical bills. "I was fortunate enough to have medical insurance cover my heart surgery and procedures," said Larry King, founder of The Larry King Cardiac Foundation and internationally renowned host of CNN's "Larry King Live." "Heart disease takes the lives of 500,000 men and women annually in the United States. This funding and cardiac medication from Lilly is a big step in helping us save a heart a day." The anti-thrombotic, ReoPro(R), is the Foundation's first donation of medication. During angioplasty procedures to open blockages in arteries that supply blood to the heart, ReoPro(R) is used to help prevent formation of blood clots in the heart and help diminish clots that already have formed. LKCF provides cardiac care and resources through affiliate partners for individuals who, due to limited means and inadequate insurance, would otherwise be unable to receive treatment. The Foundation works in conjunction with hospitals throughout the nation to ensure that such patients receive proper medical attention. "Lilly is pleased to be the first company to provide product to the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. This donation is part of our overall worldwide efforts to help indigent patients have access to medications that save and improve lives," said Dr. Hunter Heath, executive director, U.S. Medical Division, Lilly. "It is particularly appropriate that we donate the cardiovascular drug ReoPro, which has helped save lives for 10 years now. Cardiovascular disease is a leading killer today, and we are dedicated to working to improve the lives of people who suffer from this devastating disease." Under the partnership, Lilly will work with medical centers participating in the LKCF affiliate care program to provide product to eligible patients through the Lilly Cares prescription assistance program. These hospitals include: Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical Center, both in Washington, D.C.; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, both in Los Angeles; Weill Cornell Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, in New York. ReoPro was developed by Centocor of Malvern, Pa., USA, and is manufactured by Centocor, B.V., in Leiden, the Netherlands. Eli Lilly and Company markets and distributes the product worldwide except in Japan. For more information regarding The Larry King Cardiac Foundation, please go to http://www.lkcf.org/ . Contact Linda Roth at . For more information on Lilly, please contact Janice Chavers at . *Eligible patients will receive product at no cost through the Lilly Cares program. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050209/LKCLOGO ) http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050209/LKCLOGO DATASOURCE: The Larry King Cardiac Foundation CONTACT: Linda Roth of The Larry King Cardiac Foundation, , +1-703-522-0703, http://www.lkcf.org/

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