8
BioTech Navigator, August 1997
52 Week Trading History
Amgen develops, manufac-
tures and markets human therapeutics
based on advanced cellular and
molecular biology. Therapeutic prod-
ucts manufactured include Neupogen,
stimulates white blood cells and
Epogen, stimulates red blood cells.
Amgen focuses its research on biolog-
ical cell/tissue events and its develop-
ment efforts on human therapeutics in
the areas of hematopoiesis, neurobiol-
ogy, endocrinology, inflammation and
soft tissue repair and regeneration.
Despite a dip in sales growth
of its leading drug, Amgen, posted a
12% increase in second-quarter net
income to $200.5 million, or 72 cents
a share. In the year-earlier period,
Amgen had net income of $178.7 mil-
lion, or 64 cents a share. Second-
quarter revenue rose 9% to $620.5
million. Sales of Amgen's top-selling
anemia drug, Epogen, rose 12% in the
latest quarter to $295 million. Amgen
warned last month that it expected a
Sales of Neupogen, which is
used to boost white blood cell counts
in cancer and AIDS patients, rose 7%
to $272 million from $255 million in
second quarter 1996. Amgen officials
said the use of protease inhibitors has
affected Neupogen usage by AIDS
patients, but that appears to be offset
by sales growth among cancer pa-
tients.
A FDA panel recommended
Amgen's Neupogen as being safe and
effective as an adjunct to chemother-
apy for treating acute myeloid
leukemia.
An estimated 10,000 Ameri-
cans suffer from acute myeloid
leukemia.
Several members of the
FDA's Biolgical Response Modifiers
Advisory Committee commended the
company for doing the studies in at-
tempt to gain an additional indication.
Supposedly the drug is already used
off-label by many doctors for the pro-
posed indication. If it is ultimately
approved by the FDA, the additional
indication would allow patients to get
reimbursement from their insurance
providers.
Amgen Inc.
Overview
Status
"modest reduction" in the growth rate
of Epogen. Epogen sales were hurt by
actions taken by dialysis providers in
response to the changes in Medicare
reimbursement regulations which will
become effective Sept. 1
st
. Amgen
expects Epogen sales growth in the
second half to be about the same as
the 15% growth rate in the first half.
That would be a significant slowdown
from last year, when Epogen sales
increased 21%.
Product Pipeline (Abbreviated)
Product
Indication
Status
Epogen
Nephrology
Marketed
Neupogen
Oncology/Infectious disease
Marketed to Phase lll
Infergen
Hempatology
Filed for Approval
Stemgen, MGDF, KGF,
Cell Selection Device
Oncology
Phase lll to Phase l/ll
NT-3, BDNF, GDNF,
Leptin
Neurology/Endocrinology
Phase l/ll
IL-Ira, TNF-bp, R-568
Inflammation
Phase l/ll, Preclinical
NESP
Nephrology
Phase l/ll
