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

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) announced today that more than 1,500 employees around the world are volunteering in their respective communities as part of the Company’s first Global Day of Service. For this inaugural event, Alexion employees are partnering with local non-profit organizations to participate in service projects focused on improving health, wellness, and education in 30 of the Company’s local communities across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia.

“At Alexion, one of our core values is to change the world for patients suffering from devastating and rare diseases by discovering, developing, and delivering life-changing therapies,” said David Hallal, Chief Executive Officer of Alexion. “Today’s Global Day of Service demonstrates our values in action as we join together to have a lasting impact on the communities around the world where we live and work.”

Alexion partnered with Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service, to identify and help reach those most in need in the Company’s local communities.

“Through our partnership with Alexion, we have helped identify needs in local communities and connected employees with organizations to tackle them,” said Jonathas Barreto, Director, Global, Points of Light. “Alexion employees have taken on an impressive range of volunteer service projects around the world, clearly ready to demonstrate that individuals can make a meaningful difference on a wide range of social issues.”

Alexion’s Global Day of Service activities include:

North America

• Global headquarters in New Haven, Conn.: Creating inspirational art pieces, enhancing learning spaces, updating landscape, providing in-classroom lessons, and assembling teacher appreciation kits at Hill Regional Career High School.
• Smithfield, RI: Transforming Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School in Providence by painting murals, landscaping, building benches, and coordinating a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fair.
• Lexington and Cambridge, Mass.: Updating the Waltham Boys & Girls Club by painting, enhancing learning spaces, and landscaping.
• Holden, Mass.: Performing fall clean-up inside and outside of Abby’s House, a local women and children's shelter.
• Washington, D.C.: Partnering with Food & Friends to prepare and deliver meals to individuals living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses.
• Bogart, Ga.: Painting games on the playground, rehabilitating picnic tables and a play structure, and redesigning a children's play area in the Athens Area Homeless Shelter.
• Miami, Fla.: Joining the Junior Achievement of South Florida to guide and support students through a "Finance Park" activity that will teach them financial literacy and prepare them for the real world.
• Vaughan, Ontario: Decorating a children’s playroom, painting, and filling the freezer with baked goods for Yellow Brick House, an organization providing emergency shelter and outreach services for women and children who have experienced violence and abuse.
• Mexico City, Mexico: Partnering with Siembra una Esperanza para México to help students struggling with poverty by providing shoes, meals, and mentorship.

Europe

• Zurich, Switzerland: Maintaining and beautifying the Allmend Stettbach park, a 12-acre habitat for plants and animals.
• Uxbridge, UK: Preparing and cooking meals for families to enjoy following a day at the hospital at the Ronald McDonald House Tooting. A separate project will also include clearing out and revitalizing the nature areas at the Log Cabin, a center dedicated to children with disabilities.
• Paris, France: Facilitating a treasure hunt for children and young adults with the A.R.E.S.S.I.F.
• Madrid, Spain: Conducting virtual reality workshops and activities for people with disabilities in partnership with Voluntechies.
• Barcelona, Spain: Joining APMANS to provide a fun day of activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses.
• Milan, Italy: Setting up booths to sell books and raise funds on behalf of ONLUS.
• Dublin, Ireland: Redesigning the garden at Daughters of Charity, St. Joseph’s Centre by weeding, moving compost, planting, and covering planting areas with gravel.
• Athlone, Ireland: Helping to transform St. Hilda's Day Service, an adult training Center for people with mild, moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, by removing old clutter, installing new furniture, and providing fresh coats of paint.
• Belgium and The Netherlands: Teaming up with VWC Nijmegen to develop a volunteer project that will improve their environment and community.
• Prague, Czech Republic: Partnering with Palata to spend time reading books and gardening with seniors and visually impaired individuals.

Asia

• Shanghai, China: Joining the Stepping Stones China and visiting a children’s home to teach them English and coordinate fun activities.
• Tokyo, Japan: Helping local residents who were affected by the Tsunami, cleaning, gardening and hosting a petting zoo for residents of a nursing home and infants' home in Tokyo.
• Mumbai, India: Engaging with lesser-privileged children from VIDYA & Seva Sahayog, imparting life skills that are important for their day-to-day activities, and interacting with them on different aspects that can shape their future.
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Helping individuals with special needs at Al Noor Training Center.

Russia

• Moscow, Russia: Joining the Hospice Charity Fund “Vera” to improve gardens and make preparations for winter at a local hospice center.

Turkey

• Istanbul, Turkey: Partnering with the Turkish Foundation for Children in Need of Protection to coordinate fun and educational activities for children. Volunteers will also provide meals, shoes, and books for children in need.

Latin America

• Sao Paolo, Brazil: Visiting Casa de Apoio Vida Divina to paint, interact with the host children with cancer, run gardening workshops for mothers, and prepare snacks for all.
• Bogota, Colombia: Joining the Fundación Despertar Juvenil to plan and attend a trip to a petting zoo for children who have experienced trauma, are suffering from malnourishment, or have learning disabilities.
• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Working with Fundación Margarita Barrientos – Comedor los Piletones to read and provide meals to local children in need.

Australia

• Frenchs Forest, Australia: Joining Autism Spectrum Australia to visit a school for autistic children to improve the outdoor playground.

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) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), two life-threatening ultra-rare disorders. In addition, Alexion’s metabolic franchise includes two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D). Alexion is advancing the most robust rare disease pipeline in the biotech industry with highly innovative product candidates in multiple therapeutic areas. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com.

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