Committee to Study Dialysis Practice Patterns and Outcomes to Optimise Care and Improve Survival.
Amgen (Europe) GmbH and Fresenius Medical Care Europe today
announced formation of the Scientific Committee of the largest-ever
multinational European dialysis research initiative, designed to study
European dialysis practice patterns to optimise care and improve
survival of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis. The
Scientific Steering Committee will be led by Professor Jurgen Floege,
Head of Nephrology and Immunology, Medizinische Klinik II, RWTH
Aachen, Germany, and co-chaired by Professor Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Head of
the Nephrology/Hypertension Section, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg,
Germany. The committee members include ten internationally-renowned
scientists with expertise in nephrology, cardiology and epidemiology.
"The burden and prevalence of European dialysis patients are
substantial, requiring a more urgent need to address concerns that
have not been studied through a large European patient database," said
Professor Floege. "This initiative, which offers unparalleled access
to the largest database of European dialysis patients, promises to
find answers to clinically important questions. Through the conduct,
clinical expertise and leadership of this initiative, we hope to
improve the survival of thousands of dialysis patients across Europe."
The Committee's research will be based on a retrospective
open-cohort study of anonymised Fresenius Medical Care Europe data
from over 11,000 patients, representing more than 15,000 patient-years
of data. The open-cohort study involves patients from 11 countries,
including France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary,
Turkey and Central Eastern European countries (Poland, Czech Republic,
Slovakia and Slovenia). The Committee will identify research
questions, support appropriate analyses, and communicate results with
the nephrology community via scientific journals and presentations at
medical congresses throughout the coming years.
About Amgen and Fresenius Medical Care Europe Research Initiative
On 1 February, 2007, Amgen (Europe) GmbH and Fresenius Medical
Care Europe announced a European research initiative that will help
optimise care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The
multi-year initiative seeks to improve the quality of medical care for
patients suffering from CKD and associated illnesses, through data
analyses, education and research. A Scientific Committee Group of
Experts will serve as advisors to Amgen for the conduct of these
research studies.
The Committee includes the following members:
-- Chairman - Professor Jurgen Floege, Head of Nephrology and
Immunology, Medizinische Klinik II, RWTH Aachen, Germany
-- Co-Chairman - Professor Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Head of Nephrology
and Hypertension, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
-- Professor Pedro Aljama: Head of Renal Unit, University
Hospital Reina Sofia, Cordoba, Spain
-- Professor Stefan Anker: Professor of Cachexia, Charite Campus
Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
-- Professor Bernard Canaud: Head of Nephrology, Lapeyronie
University Hospital, Montpellier, France
-- Professor Tilman Drueke: Associate Professor, Department of
Nephrology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France
-- Professor ALM de Francisco: Head of Dialysis Unit, Department
of Nephrology, Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander,
Spain
-- Dr Iain MacDougall: Consultant Nephrologist and Honorary
Senior Lecturer, Kings College Hospital, London, UK
-- Professor Peter Stenvinkel: Associate Professor and Senior
Lecturer, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
-- Dr David Wheeler: Reader in Nephrology, Royal Free and
University College Medical School, London, UK
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human
therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the
first companies to realise the new science's promise by bringing safe
and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient.
Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping
millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer,
kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses.
With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen
remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve
people's lives.
About Fresenius Medical Care
Fresenius Medical Care is the world's largest integrated provider
of products, services and therapies for individuals undergoing
dialysis because of chronic kidney failure, a condition that affects
more than 1,500,000 individuals worldwide. Through its network of
2,194 dialysis clinics in North America, Europe, Latin America,
Asia-Pacific and Africa, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis
treatment to 169,216 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care
is also the world's leading provider of dialysis products such as
hemodialysis machines, dialyzers and related disposable products.
Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME,
FME3) and the New York Stock Exchange (FMS, FMS-p). For more
information about Fresenius Medical Care visit the Company's website
at www.fmc-ag.com.
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31, 2005 and in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Amgen
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