Going strong Sixteen years ago, anemia was not always recognized as a serious illness. But it certainly felt like one to people afflicted with the condition, characterized by low numbers of vital red blood cells that deliver oxygen throughout the body. The fatigue of severe anemia can make it impossible to get out of bed, much less carry out daily activities. Worse, anemia is associated with other health problems, including cardiovascular disease, and even an increased risk of death.

Anemia is a significant problem for people with chronic kidney disease who receive dialysis. Left untreated, it can be debilitating. In fact, many of the worst complications of chronic kidney disease are associated with anemia. Before EPOGEN®, treatments for anemia were inadequate; they included potentially dangerous blood transfusions and testosterone-based therapies that often caused unwanted side effects.

When EPOGEN® debuted in 1989, it quickly became the standard of care for anemia management in dialysis patients. "So many people have experienced dramatic positive changes in their energy and well-being, thanks to EPOGEN®," says Helen Torley, vice president and general manager of Amgen's Nephrology business. Today, EPOGEN® is still going strong—and dialysis patients and caregivers take treating anemia very seriously indeed.