ASIF

What ASIF does

ASIF (Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation) is an international membership organisation founded in 1988 and registered as a charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1205000), with its registered address in London. The federation represents 56 to 60 patient associations across 45 countries, serving as the global umbrella body for organisations supporting people living with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and, increasingly, psoriatic arthritis. ASIF is not a technology company; its core outputs are research programmes (IMAS, IMAP, LAMAS), awareness campaigns (annual World AS Day), advocacy initiatives (Delay to Diagnosis, Talk to be Heard), patient education resources, and biennial Council Meetings, delivered through a small staff team of approximately four people and a Board of Trustees drawn from member countries.

The organisation's programme portfolio centres on patient experience research and global awareness. IMAS (International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis) collected data from 5,557+ patients across 27 countries and won the EFPIA Connecting Healthcare Award in 2021; IMAP is positioned as its broader successor covering both axSpA and psoriatic arthritis. The annual World AS Day campaign scaled from 11.5 million people reached in 2022 to over 51 million people in 2026 across ASIF's owned channels. Resource distribution flows through 60 member organisations that localise and deliver ASIF materials in their respective markets, supported by ASIF's digital resource portal.

ASIF's revenue model is sponsorship-driven and entirely non-commercial. There is no membership fee for patient organisations to join; operating funding comes from pharmaceutical industry sponsors (Novartis, UCB, Alfasigma, AbbVie, Lilly), supplemented by grants and member contributions. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Distribution to end patients is achieved through member patient organisations (including major counterparts such as NASS in the UK and the Spondylitis Association of America) and through digital resource and campaign channels rather than direct consumer monetisation. Strategic positioning is heavily anchored to presence at major rheumatology congresses (EULAR, ACR, PANLAR, APLAR, AFLAR) and to coalition memberships including EULAR PARE, the World Patients Alliance (joined December 2025), and the Global Remission Coalition (founding member, May 2025).

Name

ASIF

Legal name

Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation

Website

https://asif.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASIF is an international non-profit membership organisation founded in 1988, representing 60 patient associations across 45 countries. It conducts global axSpA research programmes (IMAS, IMAP), runs the annual World AS Day campaign, and advocates for earlier diagnosis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy / Healthcare Non-Profit Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJAKAN

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

Keywords

• Patient advocacy federation
• Axial spondyloarthritis support
• Rare disease awareness
• Patient organization membership
• Rheumatic disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Industry Sponsors: ASIF receives funding from pharmaceutical companies working in axSpA, including Novartis, UCB, Alfasigma, AbbVie, and Lilly. This is the primary source of operational funding for the organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ASIF is an international charitable membership organization that represents national and regional patient associations dedicated to axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Its core offerings are advocacy programs, multi-country patient research surveys, global awareness campaigns (notably World AS Day), and educational/clinical resources distributed through a network of 60 patient organizations across 45 countries. ASIF also operates Council Meetings, webinars, and projects such as IMAS, IMAP, LAMAS, and Delay to Diagnosis, and is funded primarily by pharmaceutical industry sponsors.

Product overview

ASIF (Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation) is an international membership organization, not a technology company, offering a portfolio of advocacy programs, research initiatives, and educational resources for people affected by axial spondyloarthritis. The core programs include the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) - the largest-ever global patient experience survey, the International Map of AxSpA and Psoriatic Arthritis (IMAP) as its successor initiative, the annual World AS Day awareness campaign, the Delay to Diagnosis advocacy initiative, and the Latin American Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (LAMAS) regional report. Supporting these programs are patient education resources (guides, infographics, webinars), member organization support services, and biennial Council Meetings that bring together the global axSpA patient community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) The largest-ever patient experience survey of people living with axSpA, collecting information about the impact and burden of the condition across 27 countries on five continents. Used by researchers, clinicians, and patient organizations to inform advocacy and policy.
• International Map of axSpA and Psoriatic Arthritis (IMAP) ASIF's most ambitious programme designed to deepen global understanding of both axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), collecting evidence on healthcare services, diagnostic pathways, and treatment use, while highlighting the burden of living with these conditions. Used by researchers, clinicians, and member organizations.
• World AS Day An annual global awareness campaign (held on the first Saturday of May) to raise awareness of axial spondyloarthritis, reaching millions of people through social media and local events organized by member organizations worldwide.
• Delay to Diagnosis A global advocacy project focusing on the unacceptable delay in receiving a diagnosis that most axSpA patients endure, including reports, films, infographics, and advocacy materials translated into multiple languages. Targeted at healthcare systems, clinicians, and policymakers.
• Latin American Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (LAMAS) A comprehensive examination of the lived experience of axSpA and its economic cost in Latin America, presenting findings from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico as the Latin American component of the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).
• Talk to be Heard A global campaign featuring people from around the world talking about the impact of axSpA on their emotional wellbeing. Targeted at reducing stigma and creating visibility for the psychosocial burden of axSpA.
• Patient Resources Library A library of guides, infographics, and materials for people living with axSpA covering disease information, treatment options, living well with axSpA, getting the most out of rheumatology appointments, building partnerships with doctors, plus ASDAS/BASDAI guides, webinar recordings, exercise videos, and materials for patient organisations.
• ASIF Webinar Series A series of educational webinars covering axSpA research, healthcare professional education, diagnostic delay, psychological impact, and patient organization support for members, patients, and healthcare professionals.
• Council Meetings Biennial in-person meetings bringing together representatives from ASIF member organizations across the world to network, learn, and strengthen collective impact through workshops, presentations, and governance updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• World AS Day 2026 reached 51 million people with 56 million impressions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• World Patients Alliance (WPA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025ASIF became a member of WPA, the leading umbrella network of patient organisations worldwide representing more than 460 member groups across 124 countries.
• Global Remission Coalition (GRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025ASIF is a founding member of GRC, a platform for remission stakeholders to collaborate, advocate, and elevate the narrative about the value of remission in chronic inflammatory conditions.
• ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormalized relationship through Memorandum of Understanding. ASIF and ASAS collaborate on research, keep each other informed of plans, identify opportunities for collaboration, and contribute expertise and resources.
• ASOPANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPan-American network of rheumatic patient associations. ASIF co-hosts webinars and events with ASOPAN for Spanish-speaking axSpA community.
• Global Alliance for Patient Access (GAfPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASIF is a member of GAfPA, participating in roundtables and advocacy initiatives.
• EULAR PAREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASIF is a member of People with Arthritis/Rheumatism in Europe (PARE), a standing committee of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
• African League of Associations for Rheumatology (AFLAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASIF participates in AFLAR Congress to build connections and support axSpA advocacy in Africa.
• AGORAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASIF participates in AGORA, an umbrella platform representing patient organisations of people with RMDs in Southern Europe.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lupus Europe: Federation of national lupus patient organisations across Europe — the closest structural analogue to ASIF in autoimmune disease international federations.
• Federation of European Scleroderma Associations (FESCA): European federation of national scleroderma patient organisations — directly comparable federation-of-patient-organisations structure and pharma-funded operating model.
• World Patients Alliance (WPA): Umbrella membership body of patient organisations worldwide (460+ member groups across 124 countries) of which ASIF became a member in 2025 — directly comparable as a federation of patient groups.
• International Alliance of Patients' Organizations (IAPO): Global alliance of patient organisations across disease areas; IAPO is the clearest model for ASIF's federated, evidence-advocating global patient-organisation structure.
• Spondylitis Association of America (SAA): US-based patient advocacy organisation dedicated to spondyloarthritis and ASIF's closest disease-specific counterpart; ASIF board trustee Cassie Shafer is SAA's CEO, evidencing direct governance overlap.
• ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society): International society of clinicians and researchers focused on spondyloarthritis; ASIF holds a formal MOU with ASAS for joint research and collaboration, making it the most directly analogous axSpA-specific peer albeit on the clinician side.
• National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS): UK-based axSpA patient organisation and one of ASIF's founding-tier members; ASIF's Director of Operations Jo Davies chairs a NASS branch, making it an immediately comparable country-level peer.

Emerging players

• National Psoriasis Foundation: US-based patient organisation with significant psoriatic arthritis (PsA) focus — directly overlapping with ASIF's new IMAP programme covering axSpA and PsA, and a natural coalition partner.

Broad incumbents

• EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism): Pan-European rheumatology professional society whose PARE standing committee represents patient organisations; ASIF is a member of PARE, making this an institutional peer in the same disease space but with a broader clinical/research mandate.
• Arthritis Foundation: Large US-based patient-advocacy and research organisation across all arthritis/rheumatic diseases; comparable operating model and disease overlap at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/asintfed
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7gQjCTac7VZ11Gzkwqt_yA
• Facebookfacebook.com/asif.spondylitis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/axial-spondyloarthritis-international-federation
• Instagraminstagram.com/asintfed/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ASIF