Amgen 2011 Annual Report Download - page 11

Amgen 2011 Annual Report
Elena— Mimpara® (cinacalcet)
Elena, a piano teacher from Elektrostal, a small town in Russia east of Moscow, has had type 1 diabetes since she
was 11. She has lost a leg to the disease and has been on dialysis for many years due to declining kidney function.
Her kidney disease led to osteodystrophy (defective formation of the bone), which left her with hand deformities
and pain that prevented her from teaching. In 2010, Elena’s physician prescribed Mimpara® to help balance her levels
of parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphorus. With the help of her mother— her closest friend—Elena strives
to remain active and enthusiastic. She has also resumed giving piano lessons to children. Her optimism in the face
of serious health problems is an inspiration to her doctors and other patients.
Dora—Prolia® (denosumab)
A retired laboratory assistant from West Sussex, United Kingdom, Dora, now 78, was fi rst diagnosed with postmenopausal
osteoporosis in 1998, as the result of a routine scan for osteoporosis. Prior to her diagnosis, Dora had already been aware of
osteoporosis because both her mother and grandmother had suffered from it. “My mother’s was particularly bad,” Dora says. “She
became doubled over and suffered from a restricted airway as a result. She then fractured her hip and died in hospital shortly after.”
Dora is currently receiving twice-yearly injections with Prolia®. She had previously taken bisphosphonates but could not tolerate them.
“I have fi ve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren to keep up with, so it’s important to me to help keep my bones strong.”
Rodney—Enbrel® (etanercept)
Before rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attacked his joints, Rodney had been an extremely fi t amateur athlete. As his RA progressed, he
went from running and exercising regularly to walking with a cane on his bad days. “I had never experienced pain like that before,”
Rodney says. After trying several treatments that didn’t work for him, Rodney’s doctor prescribed ENBREL. “I noticed my energy
coming back,” recalls Rodney. “That’s when I thought, ‘I can start running again!’” Slowly but steadily, he regained his stamina.
“I’m not the fastest runner, but I’m enjoying the activity. I really feel good about where I’m at now.”
Bill—Neulasta® (pegfi lgrastim)
As general sales manager of a Los Angeles radio station, Bill set the ambitious goal of staying on the
job while he battled lymphoma. “My doctors made a point of telling me I’d get Neulasta® the day after
each chemotherapy session,” says Bill. “They said it was a vital part of my treatment because it could
help increase the white blood cells killed off by the chemo.” Bill managed to avoid getting an infection
during his chemotherapy treatment.
Judy—XGEVA® (denosumab)
Judy remembers just how devastating it was to fi nd out that her lung cancer had returned and had spread to her
bones—and to learn about debilitating skeletal consequences such as fractures. That was more than two years
ago. Today, Judy’s outlook on life is more upbeat. “Cancer doesn’t defi ne me,” says Judy (shown here with her
grandchildren). “I have a lot of optimism, and I feel like I’m making great progress.” Judy now tries to look at
cancer as a disease she can manage with her doctor’s help. “My doctor had been talking about XGEVA® for a long
time, and he said I could go on it as soon as it was approved” for the prevention of skeletal-related events from
bone metastases. “I’m so grateful for all the support from my family and my medical team.”
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