Getting Started With TEPEZZA

Get to know Your Thyroid Eye Disease Treatment

Thyroid Eye Disease or TED can be difficult to manage, but you haven't let it stop you.

You took control, got answers, and found help.

You and your doctor chose TEPEZZA.

TEPEZZA is a prescription medicine used to treat Thyroid Eye Disease (or TED), no matter if you’ve had TED for months or years.

TEPEZZA may cause infusion reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you have high blood pressure, fast heartbeat, redness of the face or feeling hot, difficulty breathing, headache, or muscle pain.

Please stay tuned for additional Important Safety Information later in this video.

Chapter 1: To understand what causes TED, you have to go behind the eye.

In the tissue behind the eye are cells that have receptors on their surface that act like switches. When you have TED, your body's immune system attacks this tissue, which causes molecules known as autoantibodies to turn these switches on.

The muscles and the fat tissue swell pushing the eyeball outward, which your doctor may call proptosis. Similarly, it can cause double vision, which your doctor may call diplopia.

TEPEZZA is the first FDA-approved treatment for Thyroid Eye Disease.

TEPEZZA treats a cause of TED, not just the symptoms.

TEPEZZA is designed to bind to the switch and block it from turning on.

Since TEPEZZA blocks the switches so they can't turn on, swelling of the muscle and fat tissue goes down.

This leads to reduced bulging and can also improve double vision and in some cases make it completely go away.

Chapter 2: The Insurance Approval Process.

Now that you and your doctor have decided on TEPEZZA,the next step is to gain approval from your insurance provider.

TEPEZZA is a specialty medicine, which means it may require extra insurance approvals.

These approvals require steps like benefits investigation, and prior authorization that usually take between 30 and 90 days, but in some cases, may take longer.

If you're not familiar with these insurance terms, don't worry. In the next chapter of this video, you'll learn about support services available to help you through the TEPEZZA insurance approval process.

The developer of TEPEZZA believes costs should never stop someone from getting the medicine they need.

They're committed to helping you explore options.

That information will be in the next chapter as well.

Chapter 3: Personalized Support with Amgen By Your Side.

Amgen By Your Side, a patient support program is here to help.

Once you and your doctor have decided TEPEZZA is right for you, you can sign up to be paired with a Patient Access Liaison or PAL for short.

PALs from the Amgen By Your Side team are available for personal, nonmedical, and logistical assistance throughout your treatment, including discussing what your doctor may have explained about starting treatment, helping to understand the insurance process, explaining financial options, helping you plan your first infusion, and more.

If you're interested, ask your doctor if you can sign the patient enrollment form before it's submitted to Amgen By Your Side. Once enrolled, you will receive a call from your PAL.

Chapter 4: Getting your TEPEZZA Infusion.

TEPEZZA is an IV or intravenous medicine. This means it's delivered through a needle placed in your arm. The process of delivering an IV medicine into the body is called an infusion.

A full course of TEPEZZA treatment is 8 infusions. Each infusion is given one time every three weeks. That means the treatment with TEPEZZA will be ongoing for about five months.

TEPEZZA may be given at an infusion center, a type of clinic that specializes in giving infusions.

It may also be given at a doctor's office, hospital or at home.

Check with both your insurance provider and your doctor to see if home infusion may be an option for you.

For your first infusion, having someone take you to and from the appointment is recommended.

When it's time to start your TEPEZZA treatment, you'll be taken to an infusion chair, which is a lot like a recliner. Once the IV is in, all you have to do is relax and receive the infusion.

Each infusion appointment usually lasts one and a half to two and a half hours, but will vary depending on where you get your infusion. During this time, books, music and movies can all provide a welcome distraction.

I was very scared.

They would make me very comfortable. I didn't even think of it as oh my gosh, I'm sitting here getting an infusion. This is terrible. I thought, hey, you know, this isn't bad.

Chapter 5: The Possible Side Effects of TEPEZZA.

Here's a list of the most common side effects of TEPEZZA and the percentage of people that experienced them in clinical studies.

Muscle cramps or spasms, 25% of patients;

nausea, 17%;

hair loss, 13%;

diarrhea, 12%;

tiredness, 12%;

high blood sugar, 10%;

hearing problems, 10%;

changes in taste, 8%;

headache, 8%;

dry skin, 8%;

weight loss, 6%;

nail problems, 5%;

changes in menstruation, 23%.

Always reach out to your doctor to discuss how to manage side effects.

Chapter 6: How TEPEZZA Can Help Thyroid Eye Disease.

Some people had less eye bulging as soon as six weeks after starting treatment with TEPEZZA, and improvement continued over the full treatment course of 8 infusions.

Once you start seeing results with TEPEZZA, you may want to stop receiving infusions, but it is recommended you receive all 8 of them.

It was a slow process, but the bulging became less. The double vision was gone. To not have the bulgy eyes, it's really nice.

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Congratulations on taking the first step with TEPEZZA.

Talk to your doctor about TEPEZZA.

Understanding the TEPEZZA Infusion Process

TEPEZZA (teprotumumab-trbw) is a prescription medicine used to treat Thyroid Eye Disease (TED), no matter if you’ve had TED for months or years.

TEPEZZA may cause infusion reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you have high blood pressure, fast heartbeat, redness of the face or feeling hot, difficulty breathing, headache, or muscle pain.

Please stay tuned for additional Important Safety Information later in this video.

Chapter 1: Introduction

NURSE: Hi, my name is Stephanie Cooper and I’m a nurse practitioner. I work at an infusion center and I’m an expert at administering infusion medicines

like TEPEZZA. Over the course of this video, I’m going to walk you through the infusion process for TEPEZZA, step-by-step. We’ll go over what the inside of an infusion center is like, what you can expect on infusion day, and more. So, let’s get started.

Chapter 2: Infusion and Infusion Centers

NURSE: TEPEZZA is a special type of medicine called an IV, or intravenous medicine. This means TEPEZZA is given through a needle placed in your arm.

The process of delivering an IV medicine into the body is called an infusion.

There are many kinds of medicines that are infused to treat a variety of conditions. And infused medicines may be more common than you think. In fact, some antibiotics are infused.

Because TEPEZZA is an infusion medicine, it is often given at a specialty clinic called an infusion center. An infusion center has the right equipment and skilled staff who specialize in administering infusion.

NURSE: During your time at the infusion center, your main point of contact will likely be an infusion nurse, like me. My job is to infuse TEPEZZA and make my patients feel as comfortable as possible throughout the process.

Some infusion centers may seat patients in the same room. While others, like this one, may have private rooms for each patient. An infusion center is just one of many places you might go to get your TEPEZZA infusion.

Depending on your doctor, and your insurance provider, you may be able to receive a TEPEZZA infusion at your doctor’s office, a hospital, or at home.

Chapter 3: Getting Your TEPEZZA Infusion

When you arrive at the infusion center, the first thing you’ll do is check in at the front desk.

After checking in and before starting the infusion we will check your weight and vitals.

Then, you’ll be taken to an infusion chair. The infusion chair is a lot like a recliner.

Once you sit down, you’ll want to go ahead and make yourself comfortable.

When it’s time to put in the IV, you’ll be asked to roll up your sleeve. As the IV goes in, you may feel a slight pinch.

Once the IV is in, all you’ll have to do is sit back, relax, and let the medicine do its job.

Your infusion nurse may check in on you from time to time to monitor your vital signs like your temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. They’ll also be checking to make sure you don’t have any reactions to the medicine. If there is anything you need during your infusion, don’t hesitate to ask.

Chapter 4: Preparing For Your TEPEZZA Infusion

NURSE: While your first 2 infusions will take about 90 minutes each, the total time you’ll spend at the infusion center may be between 2½ to 4 hours. This includes the time it takes to check in, as well as the time it takes for the infusion staff to prepare the medicine and monitor you for any reaction to your infusion of TEPEZZA.

Infusions 3 to 8 could be faster, taking about 60 minutes each, depending on your reaction to the infusion. Which means the total time you’ll spend at the infusion center may be between 1½ to 2½ hours.

Keep in mind that these are just estimates, and every patient’s experience is different. Your total time at the infusion center could be shorter or longer. To help your TEPEZZA infusion go as smoothly as possible, there are some simple steps you can take to prepare,

like confirming your appointment date, time, and address. Scheduling rides to and from your appointment, especially for your first infusion. Arriving about 20 minutes before your appointment to give yourself plenty of time to check in and take care of any details.

Packing an infusion care bag with things you may need to stay comfortable, like a book, movie, or music player to help you pass the time. Wearing a loose-fitting shirt that allows your infusion nurse to easily access your arm to take your vitals and insert the IV. And completing the “Before Infusion Reminder List” so you know you have all the details covered.

Chapter 5: After Your TEPEZZA Infusion

After 90 minutes, you’ll have finished your first TEPEZZA infusion. But before you leave the infusion center, there will be just a few more steps to take care of. For starters, your infusion nurse will remove the IV. It will just take a second. Next, you’ll be monitored for a short time to make sure you don’t have a reaction to the infusion.

You can use this time to complete the “After Infusion Reminder List.” It will help you stay on track with treatment

Once your infusion nurse gives you the OK, you’ll be cleared to go. Before you leave, schedule your next infusion for 3 weeks later.

Chapter 6: The Importance of Getting All 8 TEPEZZA Infusions

A full course of TEPEZZA treatment is 8 infusions. Each infusion is given once every 3 weeks. That means your treatment with TEPEZZA will take about 5 months.

Once you start to see results with TEPEZZA, it may be tempting to stop treatment. But for the best results, it’s recommended that you receive all 8 infusions as prescribed by your doctor.

Now that you know what to expect, I hope you’re feeling more comfortable with the TEPEZZA infusion process. Stay tuned to hear about support services available once your doctor has prescribed TEPEZZA. And don’t forget to watch the Important Safety Information at the end of the video.

Chapter 7: TEPEZZA Resources

Once you’ve been prescribed TEPEZZA, you can get one-on-one support by connecting with a Patient Access Liaison, or PAL for short. PALs can help you navigate the insurance process, explain cost assistance options, and help coordinate your infusions.

And for helpful ways to stay on track with your infusions, visit TEPEZZAresources.com

Amgen would like to extent a special thank you to our partners at IVX Health, Area 23 and Flying House Media for making this video possible.