The PAL can educate and assist you with:
Molly-pal

Molly, Patient Access Liaison

  • Learning about insurance coverage criteria and approval process
  • Understanding cost assistance options
  • Understanding infusion appointment-related information
  • Discussing what to expect at the start of treatment
  • Determining how treatment can fit into your routine
  • Receiving reminders to help you stay on KRYSTEXXA® (pegloticase)
  • Discovering ways to connect with others, if interested (examples include online/virtual meetings, and even being introduced to patient groups and mentors)

Watch how a PAL can support your TEPEZZA treatment

  • Read Transcript

    Kelly, Narrator: A new diagnosis can make you feel alone. Outside of just processing the change to your life, understanding everything that goes into your treatment can feel overwhelming.

    Amgen By Your Side is a patient support program designed specifically for someone prescribed a Amgen medication. Our dedicated team is your partner, committed to providing non-medical, personalized support so you can start and continue treatment as your doctor recommends.

    Once you are prescribed a Amgen medication, you will work with your doctor to be enrolled into Amgen By Your Side and get matched with a Patient Access Liaison, or PAL. Or in some cases, a clinical nurse educator – a CNE.

    Lindsey (PAL) talking to Khash: … I’m available to help you as you need for anything that might come up. I’m basically your advocate, your cheerleader, your friend. I’m here to support you through the entire journey.

    Khash: My primary care physician said, “We’re going to have a Patient Access Liaison get in contact with you to discuss it further with you, and tell you all the pluses, minuses and all that stuff.” Lindsey, really took the time to explain it all to me, including the commitment it’s going to take on my side to get this done.

    Kelly, Narrator: A PAL is your partner to support and champion you while accomplishing your treatment goals. Some of the ways your PAL can support you include:
    - Learning about insurance coverage and the approval process
    - Understanding potential costs or cost assistance options
    - Sharing additional resources, connect to advocacy groups, or connect with others if interested

    Roxie: I did work with the Patient Access Liaison, more commonly known as PALs, and she kept in touch with me. I was really worried about insurance and about out-of-pocket cost. Although I was willing to do whatever it took. She checked out my insurances and I am so blessed because it was 100% covered.

    Randi: They assigned me a Patient Access Liaison after I was approved for treatment and just helped guide me through the process as far as what to expect, the process that I was going to go through and just to be there for general support for me.

    Melanie: She really took the time to explain everything and go through it and has been there for me for every single question ever since.

    Kelly, Narrator: With everything you and your caregivers have going on, it can be difficult to fit treatment into your routine. Your PAL can help you understand what to expect at the start of treatment, how treatment can fit into your routine and send reminders to help you stay on track.

    Carol (PAL): I want them to understand that I will be a point person for them. First and foremost, I’m there to listen and also let them know I’m there to support them through the process. And ultimately to empower them.

    Latoya: They remind you of things that you typically forget. Even like when it comes to testing kits, you know. I was able to work out a plan. The PAL also will make sure, like when it’s time to renew insurance, that at the end of the year you know, they shoot you a text message to call. So I think they’re a great resource. They really are.

    Melanie: They call me to do refills earlier than I need them so that I don’t run out of the medication.

    Carol (PAL): We don’t want patients to feel that they’re just out there alone and floating in the space of the unknown. They can reach out to us at any time. We’re always available to them.

    Kelly, Narrator: The Amgen By Your Side team can also help you become more comfortable with your diagnosis, even visiting to teach you hands-on how to take your medication and help you find medicine in case of an emergency.

    Jerry (CNE): As a Clinical Nurse Educator my responsibility and my job is to make sure that our patients are well taken care of and that their needs are met. We also have communication with their primary doctors to make sure that they know and they are up-to-date in their treatment.

    Shannon (CNE): I teach them about lifestyle modifications needed to stay healthy, a lot of disease state education.

    Kelly, Narrator: We can also help connect you with a peer mentor, who are other Amgen patients that are going through a similar experience.

    Randi: I may talk to three or four newly diagnosed patients a week. They want to know what the experience was like for me.

    Kelly, Narrator: Amgen By Your Side also has many other resources available to patients and caregivers through our website, AmgenByYourSide.com. There you’ll find information about enrollment, treatment cost assistance options, treatment planning, and many other resources to assist you during your treatment experience.

    In the end, Amgen By Your Side is designed to be just that …. by your side.

    Melanie: I was so happy because I was so scared. She was there from the very beginning, I am trying to manage this disease by myself, but I’m not really by myself because I have these people in my corner that are available to me at any time.

    Roxie: After being so dismissed and feeling like I was doing this by myself, it was so helpful to have somebody who understood, who knew it. It gave me hope and it let me know that at some point, I was going to be able to go on with my life and not be held back by this anymore.

USE

KRYSTEXXA® (pegloticase) is a prescription medicine used in adults to help reduce the signs and symptoms of gout that are not controlled by other treatments.
KRYSTEXXA is not for use in people with too much uric acid in their bodies who do not have symptoms (asymptomatic hyperuricemia).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about KRYSTEXXA?

Serious allergic reactions may happen in some patients who receive KRYSTEXXA. These allergic reactions can be life-threatening and usually happen within 2 hours of the infusion.

KRYSTEXXA should be given to you by a doctor or nurse in a healthcare setting where serious allergic reactions can be treated. Your doctor or nurse should watch you for any signs of a serious allergic reaction during and after your treatment with KRYSTEXXA.

Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have any of these symptoms during or after your treatment with KRYSTEXXA:

  • wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, chest pain, or trouble breathing
  • dizziness, fainting, fast or weak heartbeat or feeling nervous
  • reddening of the face, itching, hives, or feeling warm
  • swelling of the throat or tongue, throat tightness, hoarse voice, or trouble swallowing

Who should not receive KRYSTEXXA?

Do not receive KRYSTEXXA if you:

  • have a rare blood problem called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency or favism. Your doctor may test you for G6PD before you start KRYSTEXXA.
  • have had a serious allergic reaction to KRYSTEXXA or any of its ingredients. See the end of the Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in KRYSTEXXA.

What should I tell my doctor before receiving treatment with KRYSTEXXA?

Before you receive KRYSTEXXA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • ever had any heart problems or high blood pressure.
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if KRYSTEXXA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if KRYSTEXXA passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will receive KRYSTEXXA or breastfeed.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not take any other uric acid lowering drug, such as allopurinol, febuxostat (Uloric), or probenecid, while receiving KRYSTEXXA.

KRYSTEXXA is recommended to be given with another prescription medicine called methotrexate.  KRYSTEXXA may also be used alone. You and your doctor will decide the treatment that is right for you.

Prior to your treatment with KRYSTEXXA, your doctor may give you medicine to help reduce your risk of getting gout flares or an allergic reaction. Take these medicines as directed by your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will also test your uric acid levels prior to each treatment to monitor your response to KRYSTEXXA.

Your gout flares may increase in the first 3 months when you start receiving KRYSTEXXA. It’s important to understand that this is happening because KRYSTEXXA is breaking down uric acid in your body. Do not stop receiving KRYSTEXXA even if you have a flare, as the amount of flares will decrease after 3 months of treatment. Your doctor may give you other medicines to help reduce your gout flares for the first few months after starting KRYSTEXXA.

What are the possible side effects of KRYSTEXXA?

In KRYSTEXXA clinical trials:

The most common side effects of KRYSTEXXA when given together with methotrexate were gout flares, joint pain, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), nausea, and fatigue.

The most common side effects of KRYSTEXXA were gout flares, allergic reactions (including infusion reactions). See “What is the most important information I should know about KRYSTEXXA?”, nausea, bruising, sore throat, constipation, chest pain, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and vomiting.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For additional important safety information, please see the Medication Guide and discuss with your doctor.

USE

KRYSTEXXA® (pegloticase) is a prescription medicine used in adults to help reduce the signs and symptoms of gout that are not controlled by other treatments.
KRYSTEXXA is not for use in people with too much uric acid in their bodies who do not have symptoms (asymptomatic hyperuricemia).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about KRYSTEXXA?

Serious allergic reactions may happen in some patients who receive KRYSTEXXA. These allergic reactions can be life-threatening and usually happen within 2 hours of the infusion.

KRYSTEXXA should be given to you by a doctor or nurse in a healthcare setting where serious allergic reactions can be treated. Your doctor or nurse should watch you for any signs of a serious allergic reaction during and after your treatment with KRYSTEXXA.

Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have any of these symptoms during or after your treatment with KRYSTEXXA:

  • wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, chest pain, or trouble breathing
  • dizziness, fainting, fast or weak heartbeat or feeling nervous
  • reddening of the face, itching, hives, or feeling warm
  • swelling of the throat or tongue, throat tightness, hoarse voice, or trouble swallowing

Who should not receive KRYSTEXXA?

Do not receive KRYSTEXXA if you:

  • have a rare blood problem called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency or favism. Your doctor may test you for G6PD before you start KRYSTEXXA.
  • have had a serious allergic reaction to KRYSTEXXA or any of its ingredients. See the end of the Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in KRYSTEXXA.

What should I tell my doctor before receiving treatment with KRYSTEXXA?

Before you receive KRYSTEXXA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • ever had any heart problems or high blood pressure.
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if KRYSTEXXA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if KRYSTEXXA passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will receive KRYSTEXXA or breastfeed.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not take any other uric acid lowering drug, such as allopurinol, febuxostat (Uloric), or probenecid, while receiving KRYSTEXXA.

KRYSTEXXA is recommended to be given with another prescription medicine called methotrexate.  KRYSTEXXA may also be used alone. You and your doctor will decide the treatment that is right for you.

Prior to your treatment with KRYSTEXXA, your doctor may give you medicine to help reduce your risk of getting gout flares or an allergic reaction. Take these medicines as directed by your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will also test your uric acid levels prior to each treatment to monitor your response to KRYSTEXXA.

Your gout flares may increase in the first 3 months when you start receiving KRYSTEXXA. It’s important to understand that this is happening because KRYSTEXXA is breaking down uric acid in your body. Do not stop receiving KRYSTEXXA even if you have a flare, as the amount of flares will decrease after 3 months of treatment. Your doctor may give you other medicines to help reduce your gout flares for the first few months after starting KRYSTEXXA.

What are the possible side effects of KRYSTEXXA?

In KRYSTEXXA clinical trials:

The most common side effects of KRYSTEXXA when given together with methotrexate were gout flares, joint pain, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), nausea, and fatigue.

The most common side effects of KRYSTEXXA were gout flares, allergic reactions (including infusion reactions). See “What is the most important information I should know about KRYSTEXXA?”, nausea, bruising, sore throat, constipation, chest pain, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and vomiting.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For additional important safety information, please see the Medication Guide and discuss with your doctor.