Thursday, February 12, 2026

Kyowa Kirin takes rare disease “zebra” campaign to carnival and stadium

Kyowa Kirin is rolling out a visibility initiative around Rare Disease Day on 28 February, aiming to increase public awareness for people living with rare conditions. The campaign uses the zebra as a symbol for diagnoses that can be missed in routine care.

Focus around Rare Disease Day

Under the tagline “Rare is more common than you think: keep an eye out for rare diseases”, the company says it wants to promote attention, solidarity and practical support for patients coping with their condition. The concept draws on a well-known medical teaching principle that not every common-looking symptom pattern has a common cause.

Planned activations in Düsseldorf and with Fortuna

• Düsseldorf carnival: Kyowa Kirin plans to join the Düsseldorf Rose Monday parade with its own walking group on 16 February 2026, using the zebra as the central campaign motif.
• Fortuna Düsseldorf: Through a partnership with football club Fortuna 95, the company plans a special matchday in late March 2026. It includes a walk-on activity featuring children living with rare diseases. Kyowa Kirin also mentions supporting social media content with players and stadium perimeter advertising. Registration for the walk-on at Fortuna’s home match against Hertha BSC is open until 20 February 2026, according to the company.

Background: prevalence and diagnosis

Kyowa Kirin points to an estimate that one in ten people worldwide lives with a rare disease. For Germany, the company cites around four million affected individuals. The stated goal is to strengthen knowledge and help shorten the path to diagnosis and therapy.

Examples referenced by the company

Kyowa Kirin highlights cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), which can present with non-specific skin symptoms, and X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), a hereditary metabolic disorder affecting phosphate balance with potential impacts on bone health, pain and growth.

Company background information is available here: kyowakirininternational.com.