Amgen's Marketing Program Working By Promoting The Positive

Amgen has announced that new evidence-based marketing programs, aligned with patient outcomes, are driving strong sales of the Company's Epogen and Neupogen products. Gordon Binder, chairman and CEO of Amgen, said the new programs emphasize the beneficial clinical outcomes associated with improved anemia management in dialysis patients, as well as the appropriate use of chemotherapy drugs and Neupogen.

For example, in the kidney dialysis community, Amgen's Anemia Management Institute is assisting health care professionals by providing education on a number of patient therapy practices to help improve overall patient outcomes.

Amgen recently began clinical trials of its novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein (NESP) in pre-dialysis and plans to pursue a clinical development program in oncology for NESP as well. In preclinical studies, NESP had a three-fold longer half-life than erythropoietin. A recently presented phase 2 clinical trial of NESP in dialysis patients demonstrated that once weekly dosing of NESP is feasible and effectively raises hemoglobin. Once per week NESP would provide a substantial advantage over three times per week dosing of Epogen for many patients.

For more information: David Kaye, Amgen, Inc., Amgen Center, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-1789, USA. Telephone: 805-447-6692.