Cambridge, Mass. — Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the launch of AMVUTTRA “Play by Play,” a U.S. educational initiative featuring former professional athletes living with cardiomyopathy of transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis, or ATTR-CM, along with members of their care teams.
The initiative is intended to raise awareness of ATTR-CM symptoms and encourage patients to discuss possible signs of the disease with healthcare professionals.
“Play by Play” launches with Pete Shaw, a former professional football player living with ATTR-CM, along with his wife and caregiver, Kari Shaw, and cardiologist Rajeev Mohan, M.D.
The initiative highlights Shaw’s experience with symptoms that were initially attributed to football injuries or aging before he underwent testing and received an ATTR-CM diagnosis.
Shaw is being treated with AMVUTTRA, or vutrisiran, a transthyretin silencer administered by subcutaneous injection four times a year.
AMVUTTRA is FDA-approved for the treatment of ATTR-CM and the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults.
“The power of football is built play by play, and strength in silencing with AMVUTTRA is built on the same principle: making precise interventions where they matter,” said Tolga Tanguler, Chief Commercialization Officer at Alnylam.
Shaw said he did not initially recognize that his symptoms could indicate a serious and progressive disease.
“I spent my career learning how to read the field and react to what was happening around me. But when it came to my own health, I didn’t recognize that the symptoms I was experiencing could be something serious and progressive,” Shaw said.
ATTR-CM is a progressive disease caused by the buildup of misfolded transthyretin proteins in the heart. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the lower legs and irregular heart rhythms, which can overlap with more common cardiovascular conditions.
The disease can also be hereditary. Alnylam said the gene variant carried by Shaw is more common among people of African descent.
Mohan, Director of the Advanced Heart Failure Program at Scripps Clinic, said earlier diagnosis can allow patients to discuss available treatment options and develop an appropriate disease management plan.
“Early diagnosis is one of the most important factors in the management of this disease,” Mohan said. “Pete’s journey underscores why awareness matters. An earlier diagnosis allows patients to have timely discussions about available treatment options and develop a management plan tailored to their needs.”
Alnylam said the “Play by Play” initiative will use patient, caregiver and healthcare professional perspectives to highlight the diagnosis and management of ATTR-CM.
