AbbVie Korea held the second “Flower Re:blossom” internal campaign on Thursday to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and support patients as they rebuild their lives, in celebration of World Ovarian Cancer Day, observed annually on May 8.
World Ovarian Cancer Day was established in 2013 by global ovarian cancer advocacy leaders to improve awareness of ovarian cancer and enhance treatment outcomes for women diagnosed with the disease. Since then, organizations worldwide have launched campaigns to promote early diagnosis and expand access to treatment.
AbbVie Korea held the second “Flower Re:blossom” internal campaign to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and support patients in celebration of World Ovarian Cancer Day. (Courtesy of AbbVie Korea)
In line with the initiative’s spirit, AbbVie Korea launched its “Flower Re:blossom” campaign last year, aiming to help ovarian cancer patients regain lives that can bloom again. Following its first event held last September for World Gynecologic Oncology Day, the company organized its second campaign this year in observance of World Ovarian Cancer Day.
Ovarian cancer, the incidence of which continues to rise in Korea, imposes significant emotional and psychological burdens on patients due to its association with the reproductive system. Because the disease often presents with few early symptoms, more than 70 percent of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in a five-year survival rate about 30 percentage points lower than that of other female cancers, such as breast or endometrial cancer.
The disease is also characterized by frequent recurrence, with treatment resistance increasing after repeated therapies. Approximately one in five patients experiences recurrence within six months, even after undergoing first-line treatment consisting of surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, progressing to platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer have historically faced limited treatment options and weakened overall health due to repeated therapies, with average life expectancy often less than one year.
Amid these challenges, a new precision medicine-based treatment option emerged last December when the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine), the country’s first antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting the folate receptor alpha (FRα) biomarker, which is highly expressed in ovarian cancer. Clinical phase 3 data demonstrated a 35 percent reduction in the risk of disease progression or death and an objective response rate of 42.3 percent. The therapy is now recommended in domestic and international guidelines as a standard treatment for FRα-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients.
The campaign featured employee participation programs and an expert lecture. AbbVie Korea employees created a blooming flower mural by imprinting hand-painted palm marks onto a backdrop depicting empty flowerpots, symbolizing support for ovarian cancer patients striving to rebuild their lives.
Employees also participated in a photo zone carrying the message, “The beginning of personalized treatment for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: FRα biomarker testing,” emphasizing the importance of disease awareness and precision treatment based on biomarkers.
Professor Lee Shin-wha of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Asan Medical Center delivered a lecture titled “FRα Targeting in Ovarian Cancer: The Clinical Impact of ADCs and Changes in Standard Treatment.” The session addressed the clinical significance of biomarker-based diagnostics, including FRα, and the latest trends in precision treatment for ovarian cancer, which is difficult to detect early and prone to recurrence.
AbbVie Korea General Manager Kang So-young said, “We are pleased to continue the ‘Flower Re:blossom’ campaign this year to support women suffering from cancer and encourage them to rediscover lives that bloom again. This year’s campaign is especially meaningful as it focuses on ovarian cancer patients, an area with substantial unmet medical needs among women’s cancers.”
Kang added, “As a global biopharmaceutical company, AbbVie Korea will continue to advance research and development, raise disease awareness, and improve access to treatment across various cancers, including ovarian cancer, in order to provide better treatment environments for patients.”
Lee Han-soo
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