The race to win the 2021 Medicines Australia Kosi Pharma-Cup

The countdown is on for Rare Cancer Australia’s Kosi Challenge and the battle to win the Pharma-Cup sponsored by Medicines Australia is heating up.  

“This is the third year Medicines Australia has formally hiked Mt Kosi for Rare Cancer Patients. We have seen the enthusiasm for the event grow each year and are thrilled to announce that we will be sponsoring this years Pharma-Cup. In 2019 the Pharma-Cup was awarded to Janssen which raised the most money for rare cancer patients compared to any other pharmaceutical company. We can’t wait to see which company will take the lead in 2021,” said Elizabeth de Somer CEO Medicines Australia.

The Mount Kosciuszko Challenge began in 2013 with Rare Cancers Australia’s co-founders Richard and Kate Vines embarking on the Parliament to Peak walk from Canberra to Mount Kosciuszko to raise awareness for rare and less common cancers.  

‘Roche Rangers’ and Team BMS’ are running a very tight race for first today. The leader board is changing daily, and the cup is still anyone’s for the taking. Previous Winner of the Pharma-Cup ‘Janssen Kosi Climbers’ are not slowing the pace and are close on the heels of the current leaders followed by ‘MSD Mountaineers’ and ‘AstraZeneca AZscends’. Together with Pharma’s enthusiastic support and healthy competitiveness, RCAs Kosi Challenge 2021 is en route towards being one of its most successful, with current fundraising sitting at close to $100,000 heading towards an ambitious goal of $500,000. There are just over two weeks for Pharma to continue to raise funds for rare cancer patients.  

The event is still planned to go ahead despite the uncertainty of COVID-19. Rare Cancers Australia Chief Executive, Richard Vines has said that all necessary precautions have been taken to keep climbers and their families safe, healthy and COVID free.  

‘Kosi Challenge is our biggest fundraising event of the year and it would not be a success without Pharma’s support. Notably this year we have worked very closely with management at Thredbo along with NSW National Parks to implement a COVID safe plan. The wellbeing and safety of all participants at Kosi is our number one priority,’ said Mr Vines. 

The race to reach the funding heights will conclude at 6 pm on Saturday the 13th March when Richard Vines, will present the Medicines Australia Pharma-Cup to the winning company in Thredbo. Other pharma not to be excluded from the race and sneaking up on the top five include Bayer, Takeda, Gilead, Novartis, Beigene and Sanofi. 

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