Health care groups lobby at record pace Oct 22, 2009
INCREASED EXPENDITURES. Some trade groups and companies engaged in the health care debate have significantly increased their lobbying expenses through the first nine months of this year compared with the same period a year ago. (USA Today)
How Drug Industry Lobbyists Got Their Way on Health Care Oct 22, 2009
The industry showed its gratitude last year when Amgen, one of the biggest biotech firms, donated $5 million twice the size of the next largest donation to a nonprofit educational institute being built in Kennedy's honor ... But its board of directors reads like a Who's Who of top pharmaceutical executives from Amgen, Pfizer, Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb. (Time.com)
Novartis posts 1 percent growth in 3Q net profit Oct 22, 2009
Amgen 3Q profit jumps 24 percent on lower costs. Biotechnology company Amgen Inc. said Wednesday lower costs in its research and sales units boosted third-quarter profit by 24 percent, despite a continued downturn in anemia drug sales ... Amgen 3Q profit jumps 24 percent on lower costs. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Amgen cycling race to bypass Clovis Oct 22, 2009
The Amgen Tour of California apparently won't be wheeling its way to Clovis and Fresno next year, in part because race organizers were unable to cut a deal with the federal government to include Yosemite National Park in the event ... Cyclists cross the Clovis finish line of the Amgen Tour of California's fourth stage last year ... Cobb said the public may get the impression that, by giving the tour access to Yosemite, the Park Service would be endorsing competitive cycling or Amgen. (Fresno Bee -- Sports)
Wall Street futures point to lower start; results due Oct 22, 2009
Shares in Amgen Inc (AMGN.O) fell 5. 7 percent to 56 in extended trade on Wednesday after the world's largest biotechnology company said third-quarter earnings rose, beating Wall Street forecasts, while sales fell. (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Amgen Tour possibly coming to Nevada City Oct 21, 2009
AEG, the giant Los Angeles-based promotions company that presents the Amgen Tour of California, is notoriously tight-lipped about the stages of the tour until after it makes its official announcement at 10 a.m. Thursday ... The Nevada City folks have invited people from Colfax and Grass Valley, which likely means the 2010 Amgen Tour will be the first to take riders into the Sierra ... The Amgen Tour is the largest professional cycling race in America. (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
Matching Gifts Oct 21, 2009
Matching Gift Companies - CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE. Matching Gift Companies Thank you for making the extra effort - and for your doubled support. (Clemsontigers.com)
Visalia chamber plans Oktoberfest Business Showcase Oct 21, 2009
Amgen cycling race to bypass Clovis. The Amgen Tour of California apparently won't be wheeling its way to Clovis and Fresno next year, in part because race organizers were unable to cut a deal with the federal government to include Yosemite National Park in the event. (Fresno Bee)
Amgen returns in 2010 Oct 21, 2009
The Amgen Tour of California is coming back in 2010 for another Modesto finish line. An official announcement will be made during a press conference Thursday morning, but cycling experts have tagged Modesto as the finish line for Stage 4 of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California ... The Tour wraps up on May 23 with a run from Woodland Hills to Thousand Oaks, which not coincidentally is home to the corporate headquarters of sponsor Amgen. (Modesto Bee, CA)
FDA holds up approval for Amgen drug Oct 20, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration didn t tell Thousand Oaks-based Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), which has substantial operations in the Bay Area, to run more clinical trials of denosumab, but did ask questions about how the company will monitor its safety if it goes on sale. Amgen has applied to use the drug, which it calls Prolia, to prevent and treat bone loss in older women ... The FDA accepted Amgen s application in February. (San Francisco Business Times, CA)
Bitter pill for drugmaker Oct 20, 2009
FDA delays OK of Amgen drug Prolia - Denver Business Journal ... FDA delays OK of Amgen drug Prolia ... -based Amgen for more detailed plans for post-sale safety monitoring of the drug, Prolia, Amgen said Monday. (Denver Business Journal, CO)
Brookline teacher awarded national fellowship Oct 17, 2009
The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, co-founded by the Amgen Foundation, is a professional development initiative created to help promote quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence and improve teacher content knowledge. The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy endeavors to use mentoring and other professional development resources to support science teachers during the often challenging, initial teaching years and to help them stay in the profession. (Brookline TAB, MA)
Many nursing home elderly get futile care Oct 16, 2009
In the dialysis study, Kurella Tamura has received grant support from Amgen, which makes a drug for people with kidney disease undergoing dialysis. 2009 The Associated Press. (MSNBC -- Health)
Cocco: Corporate money talks, keeps public interest unserved Oct 14, 2009
Between January 2007 and June 2009, the study shows, Baucus received contributions from 37 outside lobbyists who represent the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, the chief drug industry lobby group, and 36 lobbyists who listed Amgen, a drug maker, as a client. As a group, drug companies were dominant in the lobbying-campaign contribution complex. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
Visa's New Goal Oct 10, 2009
Oracle's Sales Miss After hours: Oracle, eBay, and Clarcor shares fall; Amgen and Immunogen strike deal. Health Care In Focus The Finance Committee's $856 billion 10-year remodeling plan for the U.S. system is released. (Forbes -- Business)
Firm gets $32m for gene regulation research Oct 9, 2009
and Ventures, a financing arm of biotechnology giant Amgen Inc. in Thousand Oaks, Calif. along with MPM Capital and Kleiner Perkins. (Boston Globe)
The Dollar Kerfuffle Oct 9, 2009
It's top five holdings include Amgen, Gilead Sciences, Celgene, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Its expense ratio is 0. (Human Events Online)
R.I. considers water rate increase Oct 5, 2009
PROVIDENCE - When pharmaceutical giant Amgen Inc. expanded a manufacturing plant in West Greenwich, it ran into a major problem: The local water company couldn t guarantee the firm the supply it needed daily, up to 800,000 gallons. Instead of solving the problem, state lawmakers eager to win jobs simply decreed three years ago that Amgen would get its water ... What message does it send to companies that are looking to relocate to Rhode Island that we can t make a commitment of adequate water... (Boston Globe)
Read more... Oct 2, 2009
Approximately 200 cyclists will kick off the Arthritis Foundation's Amgen California Coast Classic Bike Tour on Saturday, October 3 in San Francisco ... This is the ninth annual Amgen California Coast Classic organized by the Arthritis Foundation, and will finish in Santa Monica at the Yahoo ... The Amgen is open to people of all ages and athletic ability. (PNN Online)
Pharmacia ordered to pay $4.5M in Wis. fraud case Oct 2, 2009
Three other companies Amgen, Immunex and Baxter Healthcare have settled. The remaining 32 cases are still in litigation, with trials set to run from March through May 2010. (Yahoo News -- Pharmaceutical Industry News)
Hospira gets global rights to generic blood drug Oct 1, 2009
Filgrastim and pegfilgrastim are sold as brand medicines by Amgen Inc. under the brand names Neupogen and Neulasta, respectively. Hospira, which is seeking to become a leader in the burgeoning market of generic biotech drugs, has filed applications in Europe and Australia seeking approval of filgrastim. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Colony science teacher honored nationally Sep 30, 2009
She was chosen as an Amgen-NSTA Fellow in the 2009 NSTA (New Science Teacher Academy) ... ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman Colony High School science teacher Traci Sanders has been chosen as an Amgen-NSTA Fellow in the 2009 New Science Teacher Academy ... Partnered with the Amgen Foundation (Amgen is a developmental drug company), the fellowship allows teachers a membership into a year-long professional development course with greater access to teaching resources as well as scientific information. (Wasilla Frontiersman, AK)
Tewksbury woman receives alumni award Sep 26, 2009
Recruited to Amgen Inc. as a senior associate in 2004, Roberts was a charter member of the Amgen Women s Interactive Network. The group provided workshops on topics such as career development, self-defense, industry networking, and self-motivation. (Tewksbury Advocate, MA)
Are Modesto voters looking for change? Sep 24, 2009
She's regarded as an advocate for quality-of-life issues, such as her work to recruit the Amgen Tour of California cycling race to the city, and her efforts to speak up for citywide beautification. Modesto Bee - Kristin Olsen - Joe Cataline Candidates for Modesto City Council district 5 (JOAN BARNETT LEE / jlee@modbee. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Vectibix(R) in Combination With Chemotherapy Significantly Improves Progression-Free Survival in First-Line Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Sep 24, 2009
(PRNewsFoto/Amgen) THOUSAND OAKS, CA UNITED STATES ... Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: ) today announced detailed results from the Phase 3 '203' trial evaluating Vectibix(R) (panitumumab) administered in combination with FOLFOX (an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy) as the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) ... An analyst/investor event will also be held from the Congress on September 24th, at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss data presented at ECCO-ESMO.... (PR Newswire)
Jane Seymour Lends Support to Recognise the Hopes and Achievements of People Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sep 22, 2009
"Prevalence and Impact of Rheumatoid Arthritis." Amgen Rheumatology Inflammation Service Europe (RISE). Available at. (PR Newswire)
Phase 3 Trial Shows Denosumab Delayed Skeletal Related Events in Advanced Cancer Patients With Bone Metastases Sep 21, 2009
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. There is no need for renal monitoring or dose adjustments due to renal impairment," said David Henry, M.D., clinical professor of Medicine, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America. "Furthermore, the positive results of this study, combined with the convenience of a monthly subcutaneous injection and without the flu-like symptoms associated with Zometa administration, make this an exciting potential treatment option for advanced cancer patients. (Canada Newswire)
* A paradox in the market for cancer drugs Sep 21, 2009
6 billion X 10 times more than Amgens Vectibix. But Amgen hopes to redress this imbalance by showing its drug is similarly effective, while offering dosing advantages. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Putting America Back to Work Sep 19, 2009
The great job creators of the past decades companies such as Google (), Wal-Mart (), Microsoft, Intel (), Amgen (), and Starbucks () are all innovators. Today's CEOs and venture capitalists can inspire future entrepreneurs to create the companies and the jobs that will revitalize the U.S. That's what PepsiCo () CEO Indra Nooyi (page 51) has been doing by moving her company into healthy foods and beverages. (BusinessWeek)
Licensing deal lifts ImmunoGen shares Sep 18, 2009
Amgen has exclusive rights to ImmunoGen s maytansinoid targeted antibody payload technology to develop anticancer treatments to an undisclosed target found on solid tumors. Under the deal, ImmunoGen receives a $1 million license payment upfront and is entitled to receive milestone payments potentially totaling $34 million plus royalties on the sales of any resulting products. (Boston Globe)
GENova Biotherapeutics signs LOI with Korean university for stem cell research and patents sharing Sep 18, 2009
The company leverages cutting-edge research collaborations to achieve breakthroughs in anti-cancer treatments, and then licenses these drug product candidates to Big Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies such as Pfizer, Amgen, Myriad Genetics, Medarex, and Biogen Idec. Visit GENova online at. (PR Newswire)
Federal Circuit Upholds Injunction Against Roche, but Puts Some Amgen Patents at Risk Sep 18, 2009
But in making rulings that place some of Amgen's patent claims at risk, the decision highlights how careful patent filers must be when filing nearly identical claims. The panel issued several rulings in the Sept. 15 decision, Amgen Inc. v. F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., including a number upholding jury findings that concluded that Roche's renal anemia treatment drug Mircera would infringe on Amgen patents if imported into the United States ... But the key ruling for the patent bar involves the... (Law.com)
Mayor Rick Herrick concerned about $5,000 message Sep 17, 2009
At the Sept. 14 meeting, the council also reaffirmed its financial commitment of 135,000 toward the AMGEN Tour of California supporting a proposal for Big Bear Lake to be a host city on the tour. The council also heard a report on the proposed cost of the new public works yard, which is estimated at 3. (Big Bear Grizzly, CA)
ImmunoGen, Amgen in licensing deal Sep 17, 2009
ImmunoGen said Amgen has exclusive rights to the company s maytansinoid targeted antibody payload technology to develop anticancer treatments to an undisclosed target found on solid tumors ... Amgen, based in Cambridge, is responsible for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of any products resulting from the license. (Boston Globe)
Toyota Program: Slash Meeting Costs Sep 17, 2009
Cashill had just researched event-planning software for her previous employer, Amgen (), where she ended up using a called StarCite. She quickly enlisted Toyota in the same service. (BusinessWeek)
Appeals Court Affirms Patent Infringement Rulings Against Roche's peg-EPO Product Sep 16, 2009
(PRNewsFoto/Amgen) THOUSAND OAKS, CA UNITED STATES ... Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: ) today announced that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Massachusetts District Court's decision that Roche's peg-EPO product, Mircera, infringes four Amgen patents ('868, '698, '933 and '422) relating to recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) and processes for making it ... Regarding a fifth patent ('349), the Federal Circuit reversed the holding of non-infringement by the... (PR Newswire)
Data Show Medication Adherence is an Important Factor in the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Sep 14, 2009
(PRNewsFoto/Amgen) THOUSAND OAKS, CA UNITED STATES ... DENVER, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen Inc. (Nasdaq: ) today announced the presentation of data highlighting the links between medication satisfaction, adherence to therapy and fracture risk reduction among women with postmenopausal osteoporosis ... "These data enhance our understanding of why many women discontinue treatment with current osteoporosis therapies, suggesting that convenience, effectiveness and side effects are... (PR Newswire)
GENova appoints Dr. Philip Gould to Scientific Advisory Board Sep 14, 2009
The company leverages cutting-edge research collaborations to achieve breakthroughs in anti-cancer treatments, and then licenses these patented drug product candidates to Big Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies such as Pfizer (NYSE: ), Amgen (Nasdaq: ), Myriad Genetics (Nasdaq: ), Medarex (Nasdaq: ), and Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: ). Visit GENova online at. (PR Newswire)
Tour Stage 4 finishes to cheers and some concern Sep 12, 2009
"With the Stage 4 win, J.J. Haedo wears the yellow jersey, and was also awarded the Edward Jones Sprint jersey. Dario Cataldo (QuickStep) will wear the 180 Energy/Icelandic Glacial Water Best Young Rider jersey. And White was awarded the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider jersey tomorrow. Moises Aldape (Team Type I) of Mexico continues to wear the Michelob Ultra KOM jersey.New to the Top 10 in the G.C. today are Creed, who moved from 35th to 7th overall, and Louder, who moved from 55th to 8th... (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
Norwegian "God of Thunder" Storms to Stage 3 Win and Yellow Jersey at 2009 Tour of Missouri Sep 11, 2009
There are 70 riders who are 20 seconds off the lead, including 2007 Tour of Missouri champion George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC), 2009 Amgen Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer (Team Astana), and four-time U.S. Professional Time Trial champion David Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream). Hushovd received a custom crystal and wood trophy from Kent's Jewelry and bonus prize money from stage sponsor Brewer Science, Inc. today. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Rules Overcome Emotions In Investing Sep 11, 2009
U.S. Medicare officials will ask an advisory panel for input on the use of Amgen and Johnson & Johnson anemia drugs in patients with chronic kidney disease, the agency said late Thursday. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will get advice from the Medicare Evidence Development. (Investors Business Daily)
Obama's Best Speech As President Sep 11, 2009
The top 6 contributors for Charles Grassley include Blue Cross, 2nd place: Select Medical Group, 3rd place; and Amgen. Throughout Grassley's career he has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the industries health insurance industry, health products, and pharmaceuticals. (CBS News)
Denosumab Increases Bone Density, Cuts Fracture Risk In Prostate Cancer Survivors Sep 8, 2009
The current study was a Phase 3 trial supporting the application for FDA approval filed by Amgen Inc., the primary sponsor of the NEJM report ... Along with the Amgen grant, the study received support from the National Institutes of Health and the Prostate Cancer Foundation ... Additional co-authors of the NEJM article include Benjamin Leder, MD, MGH Endocrinology; Blair Egerdie, MD, Urology Associates, Kitchener, Ontario; Narciso Hernandez Toriz, MD; Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Mexico... (Science Daily)
Amgen to Present at the Baird Healthcare Conference Sep 5, 2009
(PRNewsFoto/Amgen) THOUSAND OAKS, CA UNITED STATES ... Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: ) will participate in the Baird Healthcare Conference on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009, at the Four Seasons in New York City, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time ... D., vice president of Global Development, for Amgen, will present at the conference. (PR Newswire)
NY judge gives ex-Monster exec 2 years in prison Sep 3, 2009
Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Amgen, Genzyme, Aetna and United Health ... Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Bristol-Myers Squibb ( 00004000 NYSE: BMY ), Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN ), Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ ), Aetna (NYSE: AET ) and United Health (NYSE: UNH ). (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Click to read:Poll: More Wary of Obama on Health Care Sep 2, 2009
Amgen, Eli Lilly Kindred Health Care are also among the top 20 ... Amgen, Eli Lilly Kindred Health Care are also among the top 20. (CBS News)
Tour of Missouri needs volunteers Aug 27, 2009
Zabriskie performed very well in the Tour de France and was second overall last February in America s other major race, the Amgen Tour of California. Zabriskie has won four national titles in the individual time trial and remains the only American to win a stage of the Tours de France, Italy and Spain. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Amgen's anemia drug fails in kidney patient study Aug 26, 2009
(AP) TRENTON, N.J. - Biotech giant Amgen Inc.'s widely used anemia drug Aranesp didn't benefit patients with chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and anemia in a large, late-stage study, the company said Tuesday ... Amgen, of Thousand Oaks, Calif ... Dr. Roger Perlmutter, Amgen's head of research and development, said in a statement that the study was the biggest yet of anemia therapy in kidney patients not yet needing dialysis. (NJ.com -- News)
Anemia Drug Fails In Kidney Patient Study Aug 26, 2009
THOUSAND OAKS, California (August 25, 2009)--Biotech giant Amgen Inc. said Tuesday its anemia drug Aranesp didn't benefit patients with chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and anemia in a big late-stage study ... Amgen, of Thousand Oaks, says it will present full data on its analysis of the study results at a medical conference later this year. (KWTX.com, TX)
Health lobby in massive campaign Aug 24, 2009
-based Amgen Inc. and New York-based Pfizer Inc., has embraced a health care overhaul ... Lobbying by Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology company, is intended to "effectively shape health-care policy," said Kelley Davenport, a spokeswoman. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Managing Cost and Optimizing Working Capital to Thrive During a Cash Crunch Aug 22, 2009
Brainware customers include Airbus, Alcon, Alltel, Amgen, Anadarko, BB&T, British American Tobacco, Gardner Denver, Halliburton, Her Majesty's Prison Service, Johns Manville, JohnsonDiversey, Kimberly-Clark, KPMG, NHS/Steria, Newell Rubbermaid, Phillip Morris International, Reynolds & Reynolds, Shell, Southern Company, The Bank of New York Mellon/SourceNet, TriZetto, and many others. For more information, please visit. (PR Newswire)
Letter: Who is Baucus representing? Aug 22, 2009
CJR wrote on Aug 21, 2009 11:38 AM:" Unfortunately for Americans needing healthcare the wrong man is leading the fight for health care reform -- it is more like putting the fox in charge of the chicken house. We will only get "reform" that is favorable to the insurance industry which is where most of his campaign money comes from. Five of his former Senate staffers now work for 27 organizations in the healthcare or insurance industries; some of them are pharmaceutical giants Wyeth, Merck, Amgen... (Montana Standard, MT)
Top Sports Stories Two more standouts slated for Tour of Missouri Aug 21, 2009
Team Cervelo, which will compete in the Tour of Missouri, is a new team founded this year, and has already seen stage victories in this year's Tour of Qatar, Amgen Tour of California, Volta a Catalunya, Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. (Source: ). (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
Tough Decisions on Osteoporosis Drugs Aug 20, 2009
Amgen and Eli Lilly shift course on their experimental bone-loss treatments, as the FDA gets tougher on the risk of side effects ... Amgen () and Eli Lilly () have endured some tough news in recent days on their experimental osteoporosis drugs ... On Aug. 13, an advisory panel to the FDA stopped short of recommending the agency green-light the widespread use of Amgen's (brand name Prolia). (BusinessWeek)
Denosumab in Men Receiving Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer Aug 20, 2009
From the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center (M.R.S.) and the Endocrine Unit (B.Z.L.), Boston; Urology Associates Urologic Medical Research, Kitchener, ON, Canada (B.E.); Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Mexico City (N.H.T.); Connecticut Clinical Research Center Urology Specialists, Middlebury (R.F.); Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland (T.L.J.T.); Centre Hospitalier de l'Universit; de Montr;al, Montreal (F.S.); Androgeos, Prague, Czech Republic (J.H.); Wojew;dzkie Centrum... (New England Journal of Medicine)
Denosumab for Prevention of Fractures in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis Aug 20, 2009
From the San Francisco Coordinating Center, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute and University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco (S.R.C.); Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA (J.S.M., H.B.Z., M.A., A.W., C.L., S.S.); Oregon Osteoporosis Center, Portland (M.R.M.); Columbia University Medical Center, New York (E.S.S.); University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom (R.E.); University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand (I.R.R.); Universit; de Lyon and INSERM Research Unit 831,... (New England Journal of Medicine)
GENova names Aaron Whiteman as CEO Aug 19, 2009
He has previously worked with companies such as Pfizer (NYSE: ), Amgen (Nasdaq: ), Myriad Genetics (Nasdaq: ), Medarex (Nasdaq: ), and Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: ). Mr. Whiteman said, "I am excited to provide the executive leadership to take GENova to its next stage of growth in this crucial phase of commercializing GENova's technology in the marketplace.". (PR Newswire)
Vectibix(R) Significantly Improved Progression-Free Survival in Second-Line Treatment of KRAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Aug 18, 2009
(PRNewsFoto/Amgen) THOUSAND OAKS, CA UNITED STATES ... Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: ) today announced positive top-line results from a Phase 3 trial evaluating Vectibix((R) )(panitumumab) in combination with FOLFIRI (an irinotecan-based chemotherapy) as a second-line treatment in 1,186 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) ... D. executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. (PR Newswire)
Amgen's Vectibix Meets Goal in Colon Cancer Study Aug 18, 2009
Amgen said Vectibix improved survival as second-line treatment for colon cancer patients ... Biotechnology company Amgen Inc. said Monday its cancer drug Vectibix met the key treatment goals in a late-stage study focusing on patients with colon cancer ... Vectibix is currently only approved as a third-line treatment, meaning Amgen can market it to doctors for patients who have unsuccessfully used two other therapies. (ABC News -- Wire)
Six Lobbyists Per Lawmaker Work to Influence Obama's Health-Care Overhaul Aug 15, 2009
Lobbying by Amgen, the worlds largest , is intended to effectively shape health-care policy, said , a spokeswoman. Pfizer, the , is dedicated to insuring that our voice is heard, said spokesman. (Bloomberg -- US)
Analyst Picks and Pans: Citigroup, Amgen, Blockbuster Aug 15, 2009
Citigroup analyst Yaron Werber said on Aug. 14 that an FDA panel was surprisingly cautious on Amgen's Prolia (denosumab, or dmab) which he believes will likely lead to more modest adoption than expected in a postmenopausal setting. He sees increased risk for broad-based approval in prevention of skeletal related events in an oncology setting since the FDA is "totally obsessed" with any signs of safety imbalance given dmab theoretically can lead to cancer based on its mechanism of action. (BusinessWeek)
The Buyback Boondoggle Aug 15, 2009
Pfizer (), Johnson on (), Amgen (), and Merck () have been big repurchasers, too, even as they have argued against regulating U.S. drug prices on the grounds that profits are needed to fund research. From 2000 through 2008, Amgen's repurchases cost the equivalent of 116% of its net income. (BusinessWeek)
FDA panel is mixed on Amgen bone drug Aug 14, 2009
Food and Drug Administration experts unanimously voted that Amgen s injectable drug denosumab helps prevent bone fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis ... Biotech drug maker Amgen wants the FDA to approve the drug as a treatment and preventive measure against postmenopausal osteoporosis ... Denosumab is considered critical to Amgen s future growth, as sales of its top-selling anemia drugs have fallen on FDA-imposed safety restrictions. (Boston Globe)
Studies: New osteoporosis drug cuts fracture risk Aug 14, 2009
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will review those studies and other data on the safety and effectiveness of Amgen Inc.s denosumab Thursday, then recommend whether the agency should approve the genetically engineered drug. Wall Street sees it as a potential blockbuster crucial to Amgens future ... Because this drug affects the immune system, the long-term effects on cancer risk or immune function is still unknown, she warned, saying she expects FDA will require Amgen to... (Vincennes Sun Commercial, IN)
FDA Panel Backs Amgen Bone Drug for Osteoporosis Aug 14, 2009
FDA panel favors Amgen drug for osteoporosis treatment, not prevention of bone disease ... A federal health panel on Thursday said a highly anticipated bone drug from Amgen benefits patients with osteoporosis, but should not be used to prevent the disease because of long-term safety questions ... Food and Drug Administration experts unanimously voted that Amgen's injectable drug denosumab helps prevent bone fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. (ABC News -- Wire)
