How Amgen Is Working to Close the Care Gap This World Cancer Day

Despite advances in science and medicine, cancer continues to have a detrimental impact on people worldwide. Amgen Oncology is joining the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) on February 4 to support World Cancer Day by showcasing its commitment to the global cancer community.

Click above to watch how Amgen is partnering with patient advocacy groups to #CloseTheCareGap.

Read about how our Amgen global affiliates are actively making a difference across various initiatives to help break down health equity barriers.

Germany: Providing the app Onkobutler for Patients to Manage Their Cancer Care

In 2021, the Amgen Germany team partnered with Dr. Wöhr to develop his Onkobutler idea into an application. Together, with seven physicians who are experts in treating cancer patients, it was determined that the digital diary for symptom tracking is suitable to all cancer patients. The Onkobutler app gives patients the opportunity to actively document their symptoms and share them with their physicians. This allows patients to be a part of their treatment journey by contributing relevant data that can positively impact their care. Since its launch, Onkobutler has been downloaded more than 2,000 times, and in 2024 it will be launched in Switzerland.

Optimal care for people suffering from cancer goes far beyond drug treatment. That's why we are also committed to supporting patients during and after their illness.

— Dr. Elfi Biedermann, Value & Innovation Senior Manager, Amgen Germany

Japan: Educating Patients Through Engaging Video Series

Over the past few years, the lung cancer treatment space has made great advancements due to targeted treatment options and increased availability for testing. Given that these rapid changes can be difficult for patients to understand, Amgen and One Step, one of the largest lung cancer patient groups in Japan, created a “manga” cartoon video series to provide patients, caregivers, and the general public, with information about lung cancer, tests and treatment.

We hope that the video series will serve as a tool to promote the understanding of why biomarker testing is necessary so that doctors and patients can work together toward the same treatment goals. We also hope by increasing their knowledge, we amplify the voices of patients to make sure that their needs and concerns are valued at all stages of treatment and care.

— Yuiko Ono, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, Amgen Japan

Greece: Utilizing A Holistic Approach to Help Patients During Every Step of Their Cancer Journey

The Amgen team in Greece is employing strategic initiatives to allow patients adequate access to innovative cancer treatments and help enhance their quality of life during their cancer treatment journey. These initiatives have resulted in a significant impact for more than 2,000 patients across Greece.

At the center of many of these programs are partnerships with local organizations. By working together with public hospitals in Greece, the team challenged the inequities to quality of life in cancer care with more than 1,500 counseling sessions, helping approximately 700 patients within a year. The team also partnered with local medical societies on next-generation sequencing (NGS) and liquid biopsy testing, with more than 500 lung cancer patients tested for the KRAS G12C mutation for three consecutive years. Additionally, by teaming up with FairLife Lung Cancer Care, they were able to create a holistic patient and caregiver support program, offering help to more than 300 patients within a year.

Also, by supporting 35 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients since 2020 and 35 immune thrombocytopenia patients since 2018, these programs aim to bridge access and adherence gaps for specialized immune-oncology treatments, fostering continued treatment outside hospital settings and enhancing patients' quality of life.

Cancer knows no boundaries, but neither should access to care, support, and hope. At Amgen, we work together with physicians, scientific societies and Patient Advocacy Groups to provide solutions for every patient.

— George Orthopoulos, BU Lead Oncology/Hematology, Amgen Greece

Saudi Arabia: Transforming the Lives of ALL Patients with PUMP For Life

The Amgen team in Saudi Arabia has helped make significant improvements in ALL patients’ quality of life and treatment experience. The PUMP For Life program is an initiative that gives ALL patients an opportunity to have their treatment outside the hospital instead of staying for 28 days hospitalized. Through this program, there has been an increase in the number of free beds inside hospitals, reduced physician waiting time for ALL patients, and an increased number of ALL patients being treated.

PUMP For Life changed acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients’ lives, enabling them to spend more time with their families and enjoy more of what they love to do. For us at Amgen, it’s a tremendous privilege to be able to serve patients and the healthcare ecosystem in such an impactful way.

— Mohamed Fasih, Marketing Manager, Amgen Saudi Arabia

Algeria: Assisting HCPs Across Diverse Regions with the Electronic Multidisciplinary Tumor Board Platform

The Amgen team in Maghreb remains committed to bridging the care gap for patients suffering from metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). One of its key projects involves a strategic scientific partnership with the medical community, which has led to the creation of the electronic Multidisciplinary Tumor Board platform. Tailored to assist Healthcare Professionals, this platform enables the electronic submission of mCRC patients' clinical cases to a panel of referral experts. This ensures collaborative and well-informed decisions for subsequent treatment steps. In the past seven years since the electronic Multidisciplinary Tumor Board platform was implemented, it has yielded over 189 meetings and 2,323 therapeutic decisions. Beyond its impact on decision-making, this initiative has fostered a network for medical education, and enhanced accessibility to treatment, particularly in remote areas.

The most significant and impactful moment during our patient’s testimony was when he mentioned being fortunate that his medical record was integrated into the electronic platform. This significantly contributed to shortening the timeline in the collaborative and multidisciplinary therapeutic decision-making process by the CRC referring experts. He hopes that all other patients can also benefit from this advancement. He emphasized that such health programs contribute significantly to bridging the existing gap in healthcare and should be generalized and widely used.

— Ryma Khetib Tiaïba, Medical Affairs Head, Amgen Algeria

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