International Osteoporosis Foundation Announces First-of-its-Kind Partnership With University of Oxford, Amgen and UCB to Combat Global Public Health Burden of Osteoporosis1
Hip and Vertebral Fractures are Costly for Society and Can be Life-Altering for Patients2,3
NYON, Switzerland (June 16, 2020) — Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and UCB (Euronext Brussels: UCB) today announced a collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) to support its Capture the Fracture® program to reduce hip and vertebral fractures by 25% by 2025. Currently, it is estimated that more than 200 million people worldwide suffer from osteoporosis,4 resulting in an osteoporosis-related fracture every three seconds.5
Osteoporosis is a serious chronic condition that weakens bones over time, making them thinner and more likely to break,5 but there are steps patients and healthcare providers can take to reduce fracture risk.1 Capture the Fracture, an IOF initiative, now supported by Amgen and UCB in collaboration with the University of Oxford, is a global program that helps to proactively implement post-fracture care (PFC) coordination programs in hospitals and healthcare systems to help patients prevent subsequent fractures due to osteoporosis. Even after an osteoporosis-related fracture approximately 80% of individuals at high risk are still not identified or treated.6
“Osteoporosis remains a global concern, resulting in 8.9 million fractures in a single year3 and a previous fracture increases the risk of another osteoporosis-related fracture by 86%.7Early intervention through improved post-fracture identification, diagnosis and treatment in appropriate patients can help improve outcomes while also lessening the cost burden on healthcare systems,”5 said Darryl Sleep, M.D., senior vice president of Global Medical and chief medical officer at Amgen. “Supporting Capture the Fracture represents our proactive approach to care designed to predict and help prevent potentially life-altering fractures before they happen.”
“We are currently witnessing a significant disease burden. As the worldwide aging population steadily increases, it has never been more important to address the impact that osteoporosis and associated fractures can have on individuals,” said professor Cyrus Cooper, president of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and professor of Musculoskeletal Science at the University of Oxford.
“We know post-fracture coordinated care implementation is the most effective8 and efficient intervention to close the secondary fracture prevention gap, so I’m delighted that Amgen, UCB and the University of Oxford will support our Capture the Fracture program as we embark on a mission to improve outcomes for patients,” said IOF chief executive officer, Dr. Philippe Halbout.
Osteoporosis is treated by multiple specialties, underscoring the need for coordinated care to support patients with the disease. At the core of the Capture the Fracture model is a care coordinator who can help patients with an osteoporosis-related fracture be identified, screened, diagnosed and appropriately treated to reduce their future fracture risk. Post-fracture care coordination programs have been shown to improve diagnosis and treatment rates.8,9 This partnership aims to double the 390 existing Capture the Fracture programs by the end of 2022, and will focus on key regions including Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe.
“The introduction of the post-fracture care model is recognized as a progressive milestone in the management of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, and remains a profound example of what good looks like in coordination of care among multiple disconnected players,” said Professor Dr. Iris Loew-Friedrich, chief medical officer and executive vice president, UCB. “Collaboration and cross learning are necessary if we are to face the challenges of the future and find a way to lessen the burden faced by healthcare systems and people living with osteoporosis. This global partnership supports UCB's ambition of connected healthcare, finding ways to deliver more for the patient and transforming the lives of people with severe diseases.”
This partnership also welcomes collaboration from existing fracture prevention coalitions on international, national and regional levels to drive fracture prevention policy change and prioritization. Additional elements of the partnership include developing and implementing efficiencies and best practice sharing across PFC program sites, creating a digital tool that documents and communicates PFC effectiveness, and providing virtual and in-person mentorship and learning opportunities for healthcare providers.
“Capture the Fracture is an incredible opportunity to take the academic skills and expertise from the University to deliver real improvements in patient care for osteoporosis,” said Dr. Kassim Javaid, associate professor, the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford. Dr. Javaid, along with Dr. Rafael Pinedo-Villanueva, will be responsible for the mentorship program and for developing care pathway and benefits calculator software for the PFC program. “We hope that through this program millions of lives will be changed and we look forward to working with national and international colleagues to deliver this vision.”
For more information about Capture the Fracture, please visit http://www.capturethefracture.org.
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.
About International Osteoporosis Foundation
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is a registered not-for-profit, non-governmental foundation based in Switzerland. IOF has been granted Roster Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
IOF functions as a global alliance of patient societies, research organizations, healthcare professionals and international companies working to promote bone health and prevent fractures due to osteoporosis. www.iofbonehealth.org
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With 7 500 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of € 4.9 billion in 2019. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news
About University of Oxford
Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the fourth year running, and at the heart of this success is our groundbreaking research and innovation.
Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.
About The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS)
The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is a multi-disciplinary department focusing on discovering the causes of musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions to deliver excellent and innovative care that improves people’s quality of life. The largest European academic department in its field, NDORMS is part of the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford and is a rapidly growing community of more than 500 orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists and scientists all working in the field of musculoskeletal disorders.
The research work of the department takes place in several locations across the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, namely the Botnar Research Centre, the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, and the Kadoorie Centre. The co-location with NHS services puts the department in an excellent position with basic researchers working alongside clinicians. This substantially improves research capacity, improving access for researchers to patients, and facilitating the interaction between clinicians and scientists that is essential for successful medical research. www.ndorms.ox.ac.uk
Amgen Forward-Looking Statements
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CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (media)
Trish Rowland, 805-447-5631 (media)
CONTACT: International Osteoporosis Foundation
Laura Misteli, Communications Editor, T +41 (0)78 857-1777, lmisteli@iofbonehealth.org
CONTACT: NDORMS, University of Oxford
Josie Eade, Communications Officer, T +44 1865 225136, josie.eade@ndorms.ox.ac.uk
CONTACT: UCB
Scott Fleming, Bone Communications, UCB, T +44 7702777378, scott.fleming@ucb.com
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