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CARE TEAM CONVERSATION STARTERS:

As you prepare to discuss your anemia of CKD and/or JESDUVROQ with your care team, think about what you would like to talk about. Capture these questions digitally by taking a screenshot and storing it on your phone—or grab a pen and paper to incorporate these questions into your medication journal—so you can have them available.

WHO

will be part of my care team?

WHEN

could I be prescribed JESDUVROQ?

WHAT

should I expect as I take JESDUVROQ?

HOW

will I take JESDUVROQ?

WHY

might I need to change my dosage of JESDUVROQ?

WHERE

will I get my medication?

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Advocacy Groups

These organizations can help you find additional support and connect you to other Anemia of CKD patients on dialysis. They are dedicated to improving the lives of patients, empowering you to be proactive in your care.

Click on any of the organizations below to learn more about how they can support you.

Home Dialyzors United logo

Home Dialyzors United

HDU has become recognized as an effective provider of support to home dialyzors, having a real impact within the community.

HOME DIALYZORS UNITED

American Kidney Fund logo

AKF American Kidney Fund

AKF is the largest non-profit in the US supporting kidney disease patients and their families.

AMERICAN KIDNEY FUND

National Kidney Foundation logo

National Kidney Foundation

The National Kidney Foundation’s mission is to revolutionize the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis and transplantation.

NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION

Renal Support Network logo

Renal Support Network

RSN’s mission is to make a lasting and positive difference in the lives of people with kidney disease with life-enriching programs that help people and their families navigate and cope with kidney disease.

RENAL SUPPORT NETWORK

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Frequently Asked Questions about JESDUVROQ and Anemia of CKD

If you want to know more about Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), your treatment, and your costs, JESDUVROQ FAQs can help you to find that information.

ANEMIA OF CKD

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  • What is Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?

    Anemia of CKD is a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin (Hgb), which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.

    When your Hgb levels are low, your body must work with less oxygen, which can put a strain on vital organs like your heart and brain.

  • How would I know if I have Anemia of CKD?

    When your hemoglobin (Hgb) is lower than the normal range, which is 12.0 for women and 13.0 for men, it is likely you have anemia of CKD. If you are currently on dialysis, you should already have regular blood tests that check your Hgb level. Always remember to ask what your Hgb number is during lab report reviews with your dietitian or appropriate dialysis care team.

  • How is Anemia of CKD treated?

    The standard of care for treating Anemia of CKD has been an ESA (erythropoiesis-stimulating agent) and/or iron supplements.

    • Iron supplements can be taken as a pill or intravenous infusion.
    • ESAs can be given as an intravenous infusion or subcutaneous injection.

    The FDA approved JESDUVROQ in February 2023, and it is the first in a novel class of treatment for Anemia of CKD in adults on dialysis for at least 4 months.

    JESDUVROQ is not an injection or infusion—it’s a once-daily pill.

    In emergency situations, blood transfusions may be needed to treat Anemia of CKD. While sometimes necessary to treat Anemia of CKD, getting a blood transfusion might reduce your chances of qualifying for a kidney transplant.

    It’s important to work with your healthcare team to determine which treatment option is right for you.

JESDUVROQ ANSWERS

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  • What is JESDUVROQ and who can take it?

    Approved by the FDA in February of 2023, JESDUVROQ is a prescription medicine used to treat Anemia that is caused by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in adults who have been on dialysis for at least 4 months. JESDUVROQ has not been proven to improve quality of life, tiredness (fatigue), or well-being.

    JESDUVROQ should not be used in place of emergency treatment for anemia (red blood cell transfusions) or in people who are not on dialysis.

  • How does JESDUVROQ work?

    JESDUVROQ works differently from other currently available treatments—like erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) injections and iron supplements—because it helps your body make its own natural hormone, erythropoietin (EPO). The increase of EPO helps your body make more red blood cells, which contain hemoglobin (Hgb).

  • Would JESDUVROQ replace my current ESA treatment?

    Yes. When starting JESDUVROQ, your doctor will consider your current dose of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) in building your treatment plan.

    Some things to know about JESDUVROQ:

    It's a pill. JESDUVROQ is taken once daily on your schedule, as prescribed by your doctor.

    You'll need to have your Hgb monitored. After starting JESDUVROQ, and after any changes to your dose, your Hgb level should be checked every 2 weeks for the first month and then every 4 weeks thereafter.

    Your treatment schedule can be flexible. You can take JESDUVROQ once daily with or without food, any time of day. It can be taken with iron supplements or phosphate binders, if necessary. And you can also take it at home or in the dialysis center.

  • How should JESDUVROQ be taken?

    JESDUVROQ is taken once daily, as prescribed by your nephrologist. JESDUVROQ has 5 dose strengths: 1 mg, 2 mg, 4 mg, 6 mg, and 8 mg tablets. Each tablet is a different color to help you identify the different strengths.

    Your nephrologist will determine your starting dose of JESDUVROQ based on your Hgb level, or your ESA dose if you're on an ESA. Your nephrologist will monitor your Hgb level to determine if any increase or decrease to your dose of JESDUVROQ is needed.

    JESDUVROQ can be taken:

    • with or without food
    • with or without iron supplements or phosphate binder
    • at home or in the dialysis center

    Swallow JESDUVROQ tablets whole. Do not cut, crush, or chew the tablet.

    Once you’ve started taking JESDUVROQ:

    • Take JESDUVROQ exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
    • Do not change your dose or stop JESDUVROQ without talking to your healthcare provider.
    • If you miss a dose of JESDUVROQ, take it as soon as you remember. If it is the same day as your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at your usual time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for the missed dose.
    • If you take more than your prescribed dose of JESDUVROQ, contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
  • Will JESDUVROQ be covered by my insurance?

    Coverage for JESDUVROQ will be provided by the entity or insurance company that pays for your dialysis. For most patients on dialysis, JESDUVROQ will be covered by your 'Medicare dialysis benefits,' which means you may not face out-of-pocket costs. If your dialysis treatments are paid by commercial insurance or Medicare Advantage, please contact your provider directly to understand any potential out-of-pocket costs for JESDUVROQ. For more information, please visit Medicare.gov.

  • Where would I get JESDUVROQ?

    After your nephrologist prescribes a certain dose of JESDUVROQ, your dialysis provider will let you know when and how your dose will be delivered. Unfortunately, JESDUVROQ will not be available to pick up at your local pharmacy (like CVS, Walgreens, etc.).

  • What are the potential side effects when taking JESDUVROQ?

    While taking JESDUVROQ, side effects can occur. Talk with your doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

    JESDUVROQ may cause serious side effects, including:
    Increased risk of death, heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
    These risks may happen if you are treated with JESDUVROQ to increase red blood cells (RBCs) to near the same level found in healthy people. These risks may be increased if you have heart or blood vessel problems, or problems with blood flow to your brain (cerebrovascular disease). Blood clots can form in the blood vessels (veins), including in your legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVT), lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE), and in your dialysis access (vascular access thrombosis or VAT).

    Get medical help right away if you get any of the following symptoms: 
    chest pain; trouble breathing or shortness of breath; pain in your leg or arm, with or without swelling; unusual coolness or warmth in arm or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or trouble understanding others’ speech; sudden numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of your body; sudden trouble seeing; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; lightheadedness or fainting; dialysis access stops working; and do not feel a vibration (“thrill”) over the dialysis access area.

    JESDUVROQ may cause other serious side effects, including:

    • Risk of hospitalization for heart failure
    • High blood pressure
    • Damage to the lining of the stomach, the tube that connects the mouth and stomach (esophagus), and intestines (gastrointestinal [GI] erosion)
    • Cancer

    The most common side effects of JESDUVROQ include:

    • High blood pressure
    • Blood clots (thrombotic vascular events) including heart attack, stroke, and blood clots in the dialysis access, legs, or lungs
    • Stomach area (abdominal) pain

    The safety of people taking JESDUVROQ is of top importance. Please see full information on our Safety and Side Effects page or feel free to view or download the Prescribing Information. As always, talk with your nephrologist before taking JESDUVROQ.

CLINICAL TRIAL EXPLAINED

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  • What clinical trials have been conducted on JESDUVROQ?

    JESDUVROQ was studied in a large clinical trial, including nearly 3,000 adults already receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The treatment was studied in Anemia of CKD patients with a variety of other medical conditions such as diabetes or controlled hypertension (high blood pressure).

    The patient population was diverse and included a variety of ages and different groups:

    • 57% male and 43% female
    • Average age was 57 years
    • 67% Caucasian, 16% Black, 12% Asian
    • 89% hemodialysis and 11% peritoneal dialysis

    The trial assessed the efficacy and safety of JESDUVROQ.

    JESDUVROQ was compared to the current standard of care ESA* to understand the change in Hgb during the evaluation period of Weeks 28 to 52 and incidence of serious cardiovascular events.

    Patients in both treatment groups were dosed to achieve and/or maintain target Hgb levels of 10-11 g/dL.

    *Compared to epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa, depending on type of dialysis. For full study results, click here.

  • Did patients taking JESDUVROQ in the clinical trial see a change in their hemoglobin levels?

    JESDUVROQ was as effective as an ESA, a current injectable treatment, in changing Hgb levels. Based on the clinical trial, JESDUVROQ was comparable to the current standard of care in raising and maintaining Hgb levels.

    Your results may vary.

  • Is JESDUVROQ approved to treat non-dialysis patients with Anemia of CKD?

    No. JESDUVROQ should not be used for the treatment of anemia caused by CKD in people who are not on dialysis.

    No. JESDUVROQ should not be used for the treatment of anemia caused by CKD in people who are not on dialysis.

  • Will blood transfusions be needed with JESDUVROQ?

    While sometimes necessary to treat Anemia of CKD, getting a blood transfusion might re­duce your chances of qualifying for a kidney transplant.

    When taking JESDUVROQ, you may be able to reduce or avoid the need for blood transfusions. In the study, approximately 16% of patients on JESDUVROQ needed a blood transfusion.

    Based on the limits of the analysis, the results are descriptive. Your results may vary.

    JESDUVROQ should not be used in place of emergency treatment for anemia.