Zemplar is a novel treatment for SHPT (SecondaryHyperParaThyroidism), a disease that afflicts many patients with end stage renal disease. The emergence of new therapeutic options for the treatment of SHPT and a general lack of clarity in the international treatment guidelines has generated widespread confusion among Health Care Providers (HCPs) on how to treat SHPT patients with a variety of different products—in particular, how to identify a particular patient type and select proper treatment.

Because of this confusion, physicians had difficulty using Zemplar and justifying its use to payers, which limited patient’s access to improved therapies, and, as a result, affected their quality of life negatively.

We embarked on a mission to develop a tool that would help physicians identify the best treatment for a specific patient type. How? By marrying science, technology and evidence-based medicine into an interactive platform that can simulate patient treatment.

As physicians treat the virtual patient through real case studies, they start to teach themselves on how to use a particular product, including Zemplar, with a patient type. Thus, without AbbVie’s influence, physicians learn to develop a treatment algorithm that they can then take back to their practice and start treating SHPT appropriately and effectively.

Nephrologists were identified throughout Latin America to attend a series of workshops where they would be invited to interact with the HandsON platform. The nephrologists all shared something in common: they were all confused about how to best treat their SHPT patient. Each HandsON station would be shared by five nephrologists. As they select a particular patient to treat, the simulation will start, based on real life cases. Nephrologists will enter debates among themselves on how they would treat their patient by selecting from a variety of pharmacologic options, and immediately see the impact of such decision on the patient’s health through the simulator. By the end of the simulation, participants will have a keen awareness of how to best use different drugs, including Zemplar, to treat their SHPT patients.

After the event, nephrologists will be able to incorporate the new knowledge into their daily practice.

The results of the HandsON were measurable, quantifiable and compelling:

-Seven countries in Latin America now have treatment algorithms to improve patient care.

-In Venezuela, the algorithm was endorsed by the Social Security Administration, the MOH and the National Society of Nephrology, making Zemplar the official first line treatment for SHPT.

-In Brazil, the algorithm positions Zemplar as an important treatment option, Cinacalcet (competitor) as a rescue therapy and potentially eliminates calcitriol (generic) as an option to treat SHPT in dialysis patients.

-In Peru, the guidelines created through HandsON were approved by the Social Security Administration.

-Venezuela, +26% growth in Zemplar sales after HandsON events.

-Peru, +65% growth in Zemplar sales after HandsON events.

-Brazil, +200% growth in Zemplar sales after HandsON events.

-Latin America as a whole, +30% growth in Zemplar sales in 2013 vs 2012.