What IgG4ward! Foundation does

IgG4ward! Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit patient advocacy organization founded in 2023 by Dr. John H. Stone, a rheumatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, dedicated exclusively to IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD), a rare immune-mediated condition. The foundation serves two primary segments: patients and caregivers affected by IgG4-RD, and healthcare professionals involved in diagnosing and treating the disease. It operates as the only organization solely dedicated to IgG4-RD advocacy, research, and support, with a stated addressable population of approximately 40,000 diagnosed patients in the United States and hundreds of thousands globally.

The foundation's product portfolio centers on education, community connection, and clinical resource provision. Core digital assets include the IgG4ward! Community App for peer connection, the IgG4ME! App for medical history storage, and the IgG4ward! Academy — the first online education curriculum dedicated to IgG4-RD, scheduled to launch in May/June 2026. The foundation maintains a vetted Find a Doctor physician network, hosts Fireside Chat webinars, and runs in-person community events (BayJAM, EuroJAM, PeachJAM, CanJAM) plus the triennial International Symposium on IgG4-RD. Professional offerings include official Clinical Guidelines, research resources, and patient materials; the foundation directly influenced the MITIGATE Phase 3 trial with Amgen and contributes to clinical guideline development through its expert network.

The business model is donation- and sponsorship-based. Revenue streams include individual donations (preset tiers of $25, $100, $500, $1,000 plus custom amounts), corporate sponsorships from pharmaceutical and biotech companies (Amgen, Zenas BioPharma, Sanofi, Acepodia, Tellus BioVentures) and family foundations (The Moulder Family Foundation), and modest event registration fees ($500 per industry attendee for the International Symposium). All patient-facing services are provided free of charge. Geographic operations span the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, and other countries through in-person events and a digital community platform available globally.

Name

IgG4ward! Foundation

Legal name

IgG4ward Foundation

Website

https://igg4ward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IgG4ward! Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2023 by Dr. John Stone, dedicated to IgG4-Related Disease advocacy and support. It serves patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals globally through digital apps, education programs, events, and a vetted physician network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Support Communities (BPAMABAL), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Rare disease advocacy
• Patient education
• Community support
• Clinical guidelines
• Patient resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute financially to support the foundation's mission of education, research, awareness, and community programs for IgG4-RD patients and caregivers. Donation options include preset amounts ($25, $100, $500, $1,000) and custom amounts.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Pharmaceutical and biotech companies (Amgen, Zenas BioPharma, Sanofi, Acepodia, Tellus BioVentures) provide sponsorship funding to support patient events, educational content, research initiatives, and community programs. Sponsorship tiers and benefits are available for companies interested in supporting the foundation.
3. Event Revenue: The foundation charges registration fees for certain professional events, such as the 6th International Symposium ($500 for industry registration with optional guest at $575).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

IgG4ward! Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) patient advocacy organization that provides education, community support, physician referrals, and advocacy resources exclusively for individuals affected by IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD) and the healthcare professionals who treat them. It delivers these services through the IgG4ward! Academy (online education), community and medical history mobile apps, Fireside Chat webinars, in-person JAM events, the triennial International Symposium, official clinical guidelines, and a curated physician network.

Product overview

IgG4ward! Foundation is a non-profit patient advocacy organization dedicated to IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD), offering a portfolio of educational platforms, community tools, and professional resources. The core offerings include IgG4ward! Academy (a comprehensive online education curriculum launching in 2026), the IgG4ME! App for medical history storage, and the Community App for peer connection. Additional resources include Fireside Chats (expert webinars), a Physician Network for finding specialists, a Resource Library with videos and guides, Patient Stories, Clinical Trials information, and official Clinical Guidelines. The Foundation also hosts major events including International Symposiums and regional JAMs (Jamborees). The organization connects patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals through education, advocacy, and community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IgG4ward! Academy The first-ever online education curriculum dedicated to IgG4-Related Disease, offering comprehensive lessons on disease overview, organ-specific manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and day-to-day management in plain language for patients and caregivers.
• IgG4ME! App

Quantifiable outcome

• Inebilizumab (Uplizna) reduced risk of IgG4-RD flare by 87% compared to standard treatment arm in the MITIGATE Phase 3 trial — the first FDA-approved drug for IgG4-RD (April 2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Arthritis FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025IgG4ward! Foundation participated in the Arthritis Foundation's Commitment to a Cure Gala in Boston (September 2025), where Dr. John Stone was honored with the Marian Ropes Physician's Achievement Award. The partnership brings together the IgG4-RD and arthritis patient communities.
• AmgenflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Amgen partnered with IgG4ward! to conduct the MITIGATE clinical trial — the first international clinical trial ever performed in IgG4-RD. The trial enrolled patients from 22 countries and demonstrated that inebilizumab reduced the risk of disease flare by 87%. This partnership led to the first FDA-approved treatment for IgG4-RD (inebilizumab/Uplizna) in April 2025. Amgen also provides ongoing sponsorship for patient events and educational initiatives.
• Zenas BioPharmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZenas BioPharma is a valued partner supporting the foundation's advocacy efforts and patient-centered initiatives, including international and U.S.-based in-person patient events (the JAMs). Their support fosters community engagement and provides opportunities for patients to connect and learn. Zenas also partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb for obexelimab development in IgG4-RD across Asia-Pacific markets.
• AcepodiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAcepodia supports IgG4ward! Foundation through funding for patient-centered initiatives including the History of IgG4-RD film, CanJAM, PeachJAM, and the International Symposium on IgG4-RD. This support expands educational opportunities and strengthens connections across the IgG4-RD community.
• SanoficoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSanofi supports IgG4ward! through funding for educational and community initiatives including the History of IgG4-RD film, EuroJAM, and the International Symposium on IgG4-RD. These efforts support awareness and education and bring the global IgG4-RD community together.
• Bristol Myers SquibbminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristol Myers Squibb entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Zenas BioPharma to develop and commercialize obexelimab for autoimmune diseases in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. IgG4ward! is connected through its partnership with Zenas BioPharma, which is advancing the INDIGO Phase 3 trial in IgG4-RD.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): The largest US umbrella rare-disease patient advocacy organization. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) that supports rare-disease communities, drives awareness, and runs educational programs — though it is broad rather than disease-specific like IgG4ward!.
• American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA): Advocacy organization for autoimmune diseases broadly. Comparable as a peer in autoimmune patient advocacy, education, and coalition-building across related diseases including IgG4-RD.
• EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases: Public policy advocacy nonprofit for the rare-disease community. Comparable as an advocacy and policy organization advancing rare-disease patient interests and funding research — overlaps in mission and donor/support base.
• Arthritis Foundation: Major patient advocacy nonprofit in rheumatology/autoimmune disease space. Comparable as the organization that awarded Dr. Stone and as a peer in patient education, community events, and physician resources for autoimmune/immune-mediated diseases.
• American College of Rheumatology (ACR): Professional society for rheumatologists. Comparable as the convener of clinical guidelines, continuing medical education, and research dissemination — areas where IgG4ward! shapes IgG4-RD clinical practice.

Direct peers

• Lupus Foundation of America: Single-disease patient advocacy nonprofit for lupus, an autoimmune disease. Comparable as a foundation providing education, community support, physician networks, and clinical-trial engagement for a specific immune-mediated condition.
• Global Genes: Rare-disease patient advocacy nonprofit. Comparable as an organization supporting rare-disease communities through education, advocacy, and corporate partnerships, with overlap in tools and patient-resource platforms.
• Vasculitis Foundation: Rare autoimmune patient advocacy organization. Highly comparable as a disease-specific foundation offering patient education, support groups, a physician network, and research funding for a rare rheumatologic/immune-mediated condition.
• Sjögren's Foundation: Single-disease nonprofit for Sjögren's disease, an autoimmune condition. Comparable as a disease-specific patient advocacy organization offering education, physician referrals, community events, and research support.
• Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation: Single-disease patient advocacy foundation. Comparable model: disease-specific 501(c)(3) offering patient education, a physician network, community events, and pharmaceutical industry partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/igg4ward
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXHbb89w2MBmht8WgaouaRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/igg4ward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/igg4ward
• Instagraminstagram.com/igg4ward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IgG4ward! Foundation