THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), in partnership with the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA), announced the launch of the Understanding Psoriatic Disease Leveraging Insights for Treatment (UPLIFT) Innovation Challenge, a new global initiative that aims to make a big impact within the psoriatic disease community by fostering the development of actionable solutions to address a challenge that people living with psoriatic disease and healthcare providers continue to face. Applicants are invited to submit innovative ideas that address the challenge question: "How can we unite people living with psoriatic disease and their healthcare providers to achieve optimal health outcomes?"

Amgen and IFPA created the UPLIFT Innovation Challenge in response to the undertreatment and strong disconnect between patients' perceptions and standard measures of disease severity documented in the 2020 UPLIFT survey. Data from UPLIFT was presented virtually during the 6th World Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Conference (WPPAC), June 30 - July 3, 2021.

The challenge is open to all local, regional and national psoriasis- and psoriatic arthritis-focused patient organizations worldwide. Entrants must submit applications by 23:59 EDT on Monday, August 30, 2021, and rules and additional details are available at www.UPLIFTInnovationChallenge.com. The successful applicant will receive a one-time donation or grant of $25,000 USD (or equivalent in local currency)¹ to support the execution of their proposed solution.

"Despite tremendous advances in recent years, significant areas of unmet need remain for people living with psoriatic disease," said Frida Dunger Johnsson, executive director, IFPA. "Patient organizations are uniquely positioned to develop and implement solutions that address these needs as we are on the front lines, constantly working to help improve the lives of people with psoriatic disease. We chose to partner with Amgen on the UPLIFT Innovation Challenge as a global opportunity fitting to the IFPA mission to improve the lives of all people living with psoriatic disease."

UPLIFT Survey Results at WPPAC
The UPLIFT survey was designed to measure the effects of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis on people living with these conditions. The data recently presented at WPPAC affirmed and refined the findings of a previous survey conducted in 2012, the Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey. In a comparison of UPLIFT and MAPP survey findings (abstract ID: 35700), fewer people with psoriatic arthritis reported seeing a healthcare provider for their disease in the past year (50% in UPLIFT vs. 83% in MAPP) and a majority (74%) surveyed in UPLIFT perceived their disease as moderate-to-severe despite 83% receiving treatment.

"Nearly a decade after the MAPP survey, during which more treatments have become available, the UPLIFT survey suggests unmet needs in patient care persist. It also revealed an ongoing disconnect between patients' perceptions of their disease severity and how healthcare providers categorize their disease using common measures of disease severity," said Darryl Sleep, M.D., senior vice president, global medical, and chief medical officer at Amgen. "With these findings in mind, we are proud to launch the UPLIFT Innovation Challenge with IFPA to encourage much-needed dialogue and support the development of potential solutions to help address the gaps in the treatment journey for this community."

Two additional abstracts (abstract IDs: 35706 and 35218) reported outcomes from subsets of UPLIFT data from participants in five European countries: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Of the 2,006 European UPLIFT respondents, 72% of people had psoriasis only, 25% had both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and 3% had psoriatic arthritis only. Findings included:

• A majority (62%) of people with psoriasis with limited skin involvement (BSA ≤3%) characterized their current disease as moderate or severe, and 79% had psoriasis in at least one special area, such as the scalp, face, nail, palms or soles.
• While 84% of Europeans with psoriatic arthritis surveyed reported receiving treatment, 72% characterized their current disease as moderate-to-severe and substantial disease burden. Further, 52% of Europeans with psoriatic arthritis surveyed had not seen a healthcare provider for their disease in the past year.

About the UPLIFT Survey 
In 2020, Amgen conducted the global Understanding Psoriatic Disease Leveraging Insights for Treatment (UPLIFT) survey exploring the evolution of attitudes and behaviors of 3,806 people living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, 473 dermatologists and 450 rheumatologists in eight countries in North America, Europe and Asia. The survey was conducted in 2020 and was overseen by an academic steering committee of thought-leaders in dermatology and rheumatology. The survey builds upon findings from the 2012 Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey, a first-of-its-kind study conducted by Celgene that looked in-depth at the effect of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis on people living with these conditions. Additional findings from UPLIFT can be accessed on the WPPAC website or at www.UPLIFTInnovationChallenge.com.

Amgen Inflammation
Amgen brings therapies to millions of people with inflammatory diseases, with a focus on serving unmet patient needs. For those with debilitating moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, asthma, and other chronic conditions, the suffering and needs are severe. Complex diseases of inflammation have defied simple solutions, and the breadth of inflammatory disease and the burden patients bear is not well understood.

For more than two decades, Amgen has been committed to advancing the science and the understanding around inflammation to address the unmet patient needs that exist and expanding our portfolio. We lead with science through discovery research that is disease-agnostic and biology-first, modality-second. In doing so, we have introduced and evolved novel therapies that have changed the lives of patients.

Our commitment to patients is reflected not only in where we have succeeded, but in where we have failed and opened new doors. Throughout, we have remained dedicated to the principle of leading with science, pursuing where pathways and promising discoveries in inflammation take us, and not relenting until innovative solutions for patients are found. It's a commitment that extends beyond introducing novel therapies.

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 The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations
The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) is a non-profit organization uniting national and regional psoriasis associations from around the world. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis affect millions of people across the world. This is a serious global health challenge, with a range of unmet needs. People with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis may struggle to get a correct diagnosis or adequate treatment, have limited access to care or face persistent stigma and discrimination. Since the organization's founding in 1971, IFPA has worked to resolve these challenges facing the international psoriasis community.

For more information, visit https://ifpa-pso.com/ and follow IFPA on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) @psoriasisIFPA.

Forward-Looking Statements
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CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks 
Michael Strapazon, 805-313-5553 (Media)
Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (Media)
Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (Investors)

¹ Amgen exercises diligence in ensuring compliance with local law and policy. All patient organizations are strongly encouraged to consult country specific law and compliance guidance before applying as certain countries are unable to receive these types of donations and grants based on local law or policy. Your submission may be impacted by these laws at any time throughout the application process.  

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SOURCE Amgen