THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced the expansion of Myeloma MVP™, a national initiative to help myeloma patients and their care teams create their Most Valuable Plan. In its second year, Myeloma MVP now includes an updated tool on MyelomaExplained.com to help patients communicate with their doctors and develop a personal strategy for managing their disease.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8490254-amgen-myeloma-mvp-most-valuable-plan/
College football anchor Rod Gilmore, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July 2016, is partnering with Amgen Oncology as part of this year's Myeloma MVP team.
"When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, I felt overwhelmed," said Gilmore. "Through conversations with my healthcare team, I quickly realized I needed a game plan to help manage this disease, and this has made all the difference in helping me and my family cope. I want other patients and their families to be able to create a personal plan that is right for them, which is why I've teamed up with Amgen Oncology on the Myeloma MVP program."
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell which originates in the bone marrow.1,2 Unlike some cancers, multiple myeloma is characterized by cycles of remission and relapse over several years.1 It's a complex disease that requires planning and a team effort to navigate both in the short-term and over the long-term.3
Studies have shown it's increasingly important for cancer patients to participate in decision-making with their doctors.4 Because of its complexity, patients with multiple myeloma face unique communication challenges.5 As part of Myeloma MVP, Amgen Oncology is working to develop tools and resources to facilitate dialogue and better collaboration towards shared goals.
Gilmore joins baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, and Don Baylor Jr., who helped launch Myeloma MVP in 2018. Together, they are honoring the legacy of teammate, father and baseball star Don Baylor, who passed away from multiple myeloma in 2017.
"Don Baylor was one of my best friends. He was also a great coach and teammate who always had a strategy and recognized the value of working as a team to face challenges. He took that same approach off the field in dealing with his multiple myeloma," said Winfield. "Don's experience inspired me to work with Amgen Oncology to spread the word about the Myeloma MVP program."
As part of the program, Amgen Oncology continues to work with the multiple myeloma patient research and advocacy community, including the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and Myeloma Crowd, to raise awareness with patients and caregivers.
"Because of the extraordinary achievements in multiple myeloma research, there are now more treatment options and patients are living longer than ever before," said Paul Giusti, president and chief executive officer of the MMRF. "It is critically important for patients to have tools and resources available to them so that they are empowered to take an active role in working with their healthcare team to optimize the management of their disease."
The Myeloma MVP guide is available at MyelomaExplained.com and includes a tool that helps patients:
- map out their goals and preferences for managing the disease,
- identify important questions to ask their doctor,
- and create a personal plan for managing their multiple myeloma.
In addition to the guide, patients can also visit MyelomaExplained.com to find educational information on multiple myeloma.
"We are committed to helping those living with multiple myeloma feel empowered, heard and supported," said I-Fen Chang, executive medical director of Global Oncology at Amgen. "The Myeloma MVP program offers tools for patients and their support teams that can help them work together to create a personalized plan for managing multiple myeloma."
About Rod Gilmore
Renowned college football analyst and former collegiate athlete Rod Gilmore was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July 2016. As a patient, he understands the importance of creating and adhering to a plan to manage multiple myeloma. Rod is also a member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's Board of Directors. Through his work with MMRF and the patient advocacy community, Rod is dedicated to increasing awareness of multiple myeloma and encouraging patients to learn more about their disease.
About Dave Winfield
Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield knows the impact multiple myeloma can have on a patient all too well. In 2017, his close friend and former teammate Don Baylor passed away from multiple myeloma. Together with Rod and Don Jr., Dave is committed to helping raise awareness of this rare blood cancer.
About Don Baylor Jr.
Don Jr. is the son of Don Baylor, a former professional baseball player and coach who passed away from multiple myeloma in 2017. Following his diagnosis, Don worked hard to raise awareness and funds to help fight this incurable disease. Don Jr. has partnered with Amgen on the Myeloma MVP program to build upon his father's work and encourage patients to create a plan for managing their disease.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer, characterized by a recurring pattern of remission and relapse.1 Worldwide, approximately 160,000 people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year, and 106,000 patient deaths are reported on an annual basis.6 In the U.S. approximately 130,000 people are living with the disease, and there are an estimated 13,000 deaths each year.7 This year in the U.S. more than 30,000 people will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma.7 The disease typically affects people 65+ and is slightly more common among men than women.7,8 African Americans are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma as white Americans.8
About Amgen Oncology
Amgen Oncology is searching for and finding answers to incredibly complex questions that will advance care and improve lives for cancer patients and their families. Our research drives us to understand the disease in the context of the patient's life – not just their cancer journey – so they can take control of their lives.
For the last four decades, we have been dedicated to discovering the firsts that matter in oncology and to finding ways to reduce the burden of cancer. Building on our heritage, Amgen continues to advance the largest pipeline in the Company's history, moving with great speed to advance those innovations for the patients who need them.
At Amgen, we are driven by our commitment to transform the lives of cancer patients and keep them at the center of everything we do.
For more information, follow us on www.twitter.com/amgenoncology.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal models. The length of time that it takes for us to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the past varied and we expect similar variability in the future. Even when clinical trials are successful, regulatory authorities may question the sufficiency for approval of the trial endpoints we have selected. We develop product candidates internally and through licensing collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as we may have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, we or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market.
Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to acquire other companies or products and to integrate the operations of companies we have acquired may not be successful. A breakdown cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.
CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Trish Hawkins, 805-447-5631 (media)
Jessica Akopyan, 805-447-0974 (media)
References:
- Jakubowiak A. Management strategies for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: current clinical perspectives. Semin in Hematol. 2012, 49 (Suppl 1): S16-S32.
- American Cancer Society. About Multiple Myeloma. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/about.html. Accessed on October 2, 2019.
- Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. What is Multiple Myeloma? Available at: https://themmrf.org/multiple-myeloma/what-is-multiple-myeloma/. Accessed on October 9, 2019.
- Covvey, Jordan R., et al. Barriers and Facilitators to Share Decision-Making in Oncology: a Systematic Review of the Literature. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2019, 27(9), 1613-1637.
- LeBlanc, T. W., et al. Review of the Patient-Centered Communication Landscape in Multiple Myeloma and Other Hematologic Malignancies. Patient Educ Couns. 2019, 102(9), 1602-1612.
- GLOBOCAN 2018. Global Prevalence and Incidence. Available at: http://globocan.iarc.fr/old/summary_table_pop_prev.asp?selection=224900&title=World&sex=0&window=1&sort=0&submit=%C2%A0Execute%C2%A0http://globocan.iarc.fr/old/summary_table_pop_prev.asp?selection=224900&title=World&sex=0&window=1&sort=0&submit=%C2%A0Execute%C2%A0. Accessed on October 2, 2019.
- National Cancer Institute. Myeloma Cancer Stat Facts. Available at: www.seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/mulmy.html. Accessed on October 2, 2019.
- American Cancer Society. Risk Factors for Multiple Myeloma. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html. Accessed on October 2, 2019.
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