“My hope is that I can inspire you to speak up for yourself or your loved one with hemophilia and help raise awareness for hemophilia in women.”

Meet Courtney

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I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. And I work from home, and I love to travel and be outdoors, and to spend time with my friends and family. And I'm a mom; I have 3 kids.

My kids keep me pretty busy. They have their own schedule. I have my schedule and activities, and together as a family we like to travel. In my free time, when I have time, I like to work out and read books and go running and hang out with my friends.

I have an older brother who has severe hemophilia, so when my mom was pregnant with me, she had an amniocentesis, and it came back carrier. And then at 10 years old, she drove me to Florida because no one in Alabama wanted to test my levels. And it came back 24%. And the physicians told us that I was just a carrier.

On the onset of my menstrual cycle, it was really heavy, and it lasted for two weeks and I bled through my shorts, the sheets, the mattress. I feel like it was just very dismissed. Usually a lot of the physicians would say, “So she's just going to be a carrier. She will only need factor for surgeries, childbirth or emergency scenarios.” And then later on we found out that that was not the case.

I grew up dancing. I started dance when I was 2, and I competed. I would go to school, go to dance, practice on the weekends, compete. In my childhood I would take factor for when I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out, and then in high school when I would have a sprained ankle from dance.

I had a c-section, and I had factor before surgery, after surgery, and through recovery, and I was finally diagnosed with mild hemophilia. Trying to manage my hemophilia afterwards, I was treating on demand, and my levels were not where they needed to be. Having a bleed was frustrating and exhausting. My goal was to simply find treatment that would help me manage my hemophilia and keep my factor levels higher throughout the week. I learned about ALTUVIIIO for my brother because I was interested in finding new treatment, and he had recently heard about ALTUVIIIO. Since my goal was to keep my factory levels higher for longer, that's what really interested me with ALTUVIIIO. I also liked the weekly infusion schedule, and I knew that was something I could incorporate in my routine. When I met with my physician, I explained to him the problems that I was having and why I was interested in switching treatment. And I had told him about ALTUVIIIO. He thought I would benefit from ALTUVIIIO, and then he informed me of the most common side effects, which are headache and joint pain. I'm very happy that my brother talked to me about ALTUVIIIO.

I, in turn, talked to my doctor, and maybe he, in return, will tell others who were struggling like I was.

I'm pleased that my factor levels are higher, and I haven't had a bleed. I want other women to know that they do not have to suffer in silence; that they can request treatment such as ALTUVIIIO that may help them with their bleeds. I also want to share awareness how hemophilia can impact women and have serious consequences if not treated properly. I want to be an example for my niece and any other girls or women who are struggling like I once was.

I'm being compensated to share my story with you today in this video.

VO:

INDICATION

ALTUVIIIO® [antihemophilic factor (recombinant), Fc-VWF-XTEN fusion protein-ehtl] is an injectable medicine that is used to control and reduce the number of bleeding episodes in people with hemophilia A (congenital Factor VIII deficiency).

Your healthcare provider may give you ALTUVIIIO when you have surgery.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I need to know about ALTUVIIIO?

Do not attempt to give yourself an injection unless you have been taught how by your healthcare provider or hemophilia center. You must carefully follow your healthcare provider’s instructions regarding the dose and schedule for injecting ALTUVIIIO so that your treatment will work best for you.

Who should not use ALTUVIIIO?

You should not use ALTUVIIIO if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before using ALTUVIIIO?

Tell your healthcare provider if you have had any medical problems, take any medications, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, supplements, or herbal medicines, are breastfeeding, or are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

What are the possible side effects of ALTUVIIIO?

You can have an allergic reaction to ALTUVIIIO. Call your healthcare provider or emergency department right away if you have any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, chest tightness, swelling of the face, rash, or hives.

Your body can also make antibodies called “inhibitors” against ALTUVIIIO. This can stop ALTUVIIIO from working properly. Your healthcare provider may give you blood tests to check for inhibitors.

The common side effects of ALTUVIIIO are headache and joint pain.

These are not the only possible side effects of ALTUVIIIO. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

“Throughout my life, my hemophilia A has been dismissed, and I haven’t always received the care I needed. My mom decided to have a prenatal test when she was pregnant with me after my older brother, Derek, was diagnosed with hemophilia during his birth. She learned that I was a carrier for hemophilia, but I didn’t receive a diagnosis for mild hemophilia until I was 10. Even then, the doctor said, 'She’s female, so she’s only going to need factor for surgeries and childbirth, or if she ever gets injured or in a major car accident.'

However, it didn’t feel that mild when I got my period a couple years later; it lasted 2 weeks and I kept bleeding through my shorts. Or when I competed in cheer and dance, and a sprained ankle required on-demand treatment. When preparing for the birth of each of my 3 children, I made a plan with my doctor so we would be prepared during and all through recovery.

But still my factor levels weren’t where they needed to be. That’s when my brother told me about ALTUVIIIO. I learned that ALTUVIIIO was shown to offer higher-for-longer factor levels in the near-normal to normal range, over 40%, for most of the week in adults. It also showed a 48-hour half-life in adults. I asked my hematologist about ALTUVIIIO, and he agreed I should give it a try. I started taking ALTUVIIIO prophylactically in May of 2023.

My hope is that as awareness of hemophilia increases, more people will learn about how it can impact women as well as men, and can have significant consequences if not treated properly. I am grateful I live in a time where there is a treatment available to me.”

Courtney is a promotional speaker compensated by Sanofi.

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