Jakafi is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF, post-polycythemia vera MF and post-essential thrombocythemia MF.
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A devoted wife and mother, Sue was surprised when a diagnosis of intermediate-risk myelofibrosis (MF) made her miss out on plans to see her oldest son play college baseball. Watch Sue's story and learn about her journey with intermediate-risk MF.
Video Transcript
Sue: I'm Sue. I'm a mother of three boys. I've been married for 26 years, and I run a home daycare.
Onscreen text: SUE'S PATH TO POSSIBLE WITH JAKAFI® (ruxolitinib)
Sue: I was living a normal life as anybody else does. I was busy following my boys around, working, going out with friends, being social and active.
Colin, Sue’s son: …Growing up, my mom has always been a superstar. She's always been the one chasing after us three boys, whether it's baseball or football or wrestling or you know, taking us back and forth to school.
Sue: I was always active…and then, I got tired. I started wanting to take the elevator instead of the stairs. I started not being able to eat. And I started having side pains.
Onscreen text: Sue’s loss of appetite and her side pain were due to an enlarged spleen.
Gary, Sue’s husband: She wasn’t eating as much, and she was going to bed before I went to bed… which was totally out of character for her.
Sue: I was supposed to leave for a vacation, and I was afraid to fly with the symptoms I was feeling.
Corey, Sue’s son: They were supposed to come visit me on my spring trip down in Florida for baseball. I got the phone call from the dad that they weren't making it…
Sue: So, I went to the doctor and within a week, was diagnosed with myelofibrosis.
Onscreen text: Sue was diagnosed with intermediate-risk myelofibrosis.
Onscreen text and narrator: MYELOFIBROSIS (MF) is a rare, chronic blood cancer of the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the material inside the bone where blood cells are made.
Sue: …All I could think was what I'm going to be missing. I was afraid I’m not going to get to see my kids graduate from college or get married or have kids of their own. Yeah, I was just really afraid about what I was going to miss. My symptoms were fatigue, side pain, loss of appetite, and itchiness.
Onscreen text: Common symptoms of MF include tiredness, pain on the left side under the ribs, early feeling of fullness, abdominal discomfort, night sweats, itching, and bone or muscle pain.
Sue: My hematologist approached me with this…drug called Jakafi that was the first of its kind to manage…myelofibrosis. I was excited to start it and when I finally received it in the mail I did notice an improvement in my symptoms.
Onscreen text and narrator: Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) is the first FDA approved prescription medicine for adults with intermediate or high-risk MF.
Sue: It was shortly after starting Jakafi that I got my energy back. I was amazed. My husband and I went out to dinner and there was a band playing and I didn't need to go home after dinner. I wanted to stay and listen and dance.
Onscreen text: This is Sue's experience with Jakafi. Individual results may vary. Only your Healthcare Professional can decide if Jakafi is right for you.
Connor, Sue’s son: When she started taking the medicine, she definitely seemed like she was getting…more involved in everything that was going on.
Sue: So after being on Jakafi I noticed that my spleen was shrinking. I used to lay in bed and feel it. And it got to the point where I just couldn’t feel it like I used to. … and I got my appetite back. I started being able to eat a full meal again.
Onscreen text and narrator: Jakafi (ruxolitinib) can cause serious side effects including low blood counts and infection. Some people who take Jakafi have developed certain types of non-melanoma skin cancers. Increases in blood cholesterol levels can also occur.
Onscreen text and narrator: The most common side effects of Jakafi include low platelet count, low red blood cell counts, bruising, dizziness, headache, and diarrhea. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. More information about these and other risks are presented later in this video.
Narrator: During her treatment with Jakafi, Sue's co-pay for the medication changed drastically, so she contacted IncyteCARES.
Sue: IncyteCARES sent me information packages that helped me track my symptoms so that when you went to the doctor you could remember what happened between visits. So the information that they sent was very beneficial in helping me keep track and follow what was happening. So I contacted them and got co-pay assistance to a very manageable level…
Onscreen text: IncyteCARES is a patient support program for people taking Jakafi® (ruxolitinib).
Narrator: For eligible patients taking Jakafi, IncyteCARES offers reimbursement support, delivery coordination, financial assistance options, temporary access for coverage delays, connection to support services, and ongoing education and support.
Onscreen text: Learn more at www.IncyteCARES.com. Terms, conditions, and eligibility criteria apply to the benefits of IncyteCARES. Contact IncyteCARES for additional details.
Onscreen text: Sue has been taking Jakafi since 2012. This is Sue's experience with Jakafi. Individual results may vary.
Sue: I’m happy. I live well. Six years later I’m living my life the way I want to.
Gary: Oh the future’s bright. We’re traveling. Sue’s creating adventures for us that we would have never taken.
Sue: So six years later I feel pretty good. I’ve added a lot of positives to my life. I appreciate every day a little more. I’m living very happy and cherish what I have.
Onscreen text: The path your MF journey may take depends on your individual circumstances—as well as the decisions you make with your Healthcare Professional.
Onscreen text and narrator: Important Safety Information
Jakafi can cause serious side effects, including:
Low blood counts: Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) may cause low platelet, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts. If you develop bleeding, stop taking Jakafi and call your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will do a blood test to check your blood counts before you start Jakafi and regularly during your treatment. Your healthcare provider may change your dose of Jakafi or stop your treatment based on the results of your blood tests. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop or have worsening symptoms such as unusual bleeding, bruising, tiredness, shortness of breath, or a fever.
Infection: You may be at risk for developing a serious infection during treatment with Jakafi. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any of the following symptoms of infection: chills, nausea, vomiting, aches, weakness, fever, painful skin rash or blisters.
Cancer: Some people have had certain types of non-melanoma skin cancers during treatment with Jakafi. Your healthcare provider will regularly check your skin during your treatment with Jakafi. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any new or changing skin lesions during treatment with Jakafi.
Increases in cholesterol: You may have changes in your blood cholesterol levels during treatment with Jakafi. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels about every 8 to 12 weeks after you start taking Jakafi, and as needed.
Increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke or death in people who have cardiovascular risk factors and who are current or past smokers while using another JAK inhibitor to treat rheumatoid arthritis: Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking Jakafi, including: discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back, severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw, pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or vomiting, feeling lightheaded, weakness in one part or on one side of your body, slurred speech
Increased risk of blood clots: Blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) have happened in people taking another JAK inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis and may be life-threatening. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any signs and symptoms of blood clots during treatment with Jakafi, including: swelling, pain, or tenderness in one or both legs, sudden, unexplained chest or upper back pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Possible increased risk of new (secondary) cancers: People who take another JAK inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of new (secondary) cancers, including lymphoma and other cancers. People who smoke or who smoked in the past have an added risk of new cancers.
The most common side effects of Jakafi include: for certain types of myelofibrosis (MF) and polycythemia vera (PV) – low platelet or red blood cell counts, bruising, dizziness, headache, and diarrhea; for acute GVHD – low platelet counts, low red or white blood cell counts, infections, and swelling; and for chronic GVHD – low red blood cell or platelet counts and infections including viral infections.
These are not all the possible side effects of Jakafi. Ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Before taking Jakafi, tell your healthcare provider about: all the medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you are taking and all your medical conditions, including if you have an infection, have or had low white or red blood cell counts, have or had tuberculosis (TB) or have been in close contact with someone who has TB, had shingles (herpes zoster), have or had hepatitis B, have or had liver or kidney problems, are on dialysis, have high cholesterol or triglycerides, had cancer, are a current or past smoker, had a blood clot, heart attack, other heart problems or stroke, or have any other medical condition. Take Jakafi exactly as your healthcare provider tells you. Do not change your dose or stop taking Jakafi without first talking to your healthcare provider.
Women should not take Jakafi while pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Do not breastfeed during treatment with Jakafi and for 2 weeks after the final dose.
Please see the Full Prescribing Information, which includes a more complete discussion of the risks associated with Jakafi.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
You may also report side effects to Incyte Medical Information at 1-855-463-3463.
Onscreen text: Register now for information, support, and resources about Jakafi. Visit www.Jakafi.com/Register.
The video is sponsored by Incyte Corporation. Jakafi and the Jakafi logo are registered trademarks of Incyte.
© 2020, Incyte Corporation. MAT-JAK-03492 12/21
Jakafi is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with polycythemia vera who have already taken a medicine called hydroxyurea and it did not work well enough or they could not tolerate it.
Jakafi is used to treat adults with certain types of myelofibrosis.
Jakafi is used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) who have taken corticosteroids and they did not work well enough.
Jakafi is also used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older with chronic GVHD who have taken one or two types of treatments and they did not work well enough.
Jakafi can cause serious side effects, including:
Low blood counts: Jakafi® (ruxolitinib) may cause low platelet, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts. If you develop bleeding, stop taking Jakafi and call your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will do a blood test to check your blood counts before you start Jakafi and regularly during your treatment. Your healthcare provider may change your dose of Jakafi or stop your treatment based on the results of your blood tests. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop or have worsening symptoms such as unusual bleeding, bruising, tiredness, shortness of breath, or a fever.
Infection: You may be at risk for developing a serious infection during treatment with Jakafi. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any of the following symptoms of infection: chills, nausea, vomiting, aches, weakness, fever, painful skin rash or blisters.
Cancer: Some people have had certain types of non-melanoma skin cancers during treatment with Jakafi. Your healthcare provider will regularly check your skin during your treatment with Jakafi. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any new or changing skin lesions during treatment with Jakafi.
Increases in cholesterol: You may have changes in your blood cholesterol levels during treatment with Jakafi. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels about every 8 to 12 weeks after you start taking Jakafi, and as needed.
Increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke or death in people who have cardiovascular risk factors and who are current or past smokers while using another JAK inhibitor to treat rheumatoid arthritis: Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking Jakafi, including: discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back, severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw, pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or vomiting, feeling lightheaded, weakness in one part or on one side of your body, slurred speech.
Increased risk of blood clots: Blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) have happened in people taking another JAK inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis and may be life-threatening. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any signs and symptoms of blood clots during treatment with Jakafi, including: swelling, pain, or tenderness in one or both legs, sudden, unexplained chest or upper back pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Possible increased risk of new (secondary) cancers: People who take another JAK inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of new (secondary) cancers, including lymphoma and other cancers. People who smoke or who smoked in the past have an added risk of new cancers.
The most common side effects of Jakafi include: for certain types of myelofibrosis (MF) and polycythemia vera (PV) – low platelet or red blood cell counts, bruising, dizziness, headache, and diarrhea; for acute GVHD – low platelet counts, low red or white blood cell counts, infections, and swelling; and for chronic GVHD – low red blood cell or platelet counts and infections including viral infections.
These are not all the possible side effects of Jakafi. Ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Before taking Jakafi, tell your healthcare provider about: all the medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you are taking and all your medical conditions, including if you have an infection, have or had low white or red blood cell counts, have or had tuberculosis (TB) or have been in close contact with someone who has TB, had shingles (herpes zoster), have or had hepatitis B, have or had liver or kidney problems, are on dialysis, have high cholesterol or triglycerides, had cancer, are a current or past smoker, had a blood clot, heart attack, other heart problems or stroke, or have any other medical condition. Take Jakafi exactly as your healthcare provider tells you. Do not change your dose or stop taking Jakafi without first talking to your healthcare provider.
Women should not take Jakafi while pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Do not breastfeed during treatment with Jakafi and for 2 weeks after the final dose.
Please see the Full Prescribing Information, which includes a more complete discussion of the risks associated with Jakafi.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
You may also report side effects to Incyte Medical Information at 1-855-463-3463.
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