Amgen Drug Approved for United Kingdom

Amgen Inc. said it received approval to sell its newest drug, Neupogen, in the United Kingdom. The drug fights bacterial infections in cancer chemotherapy patients.

The drug is technically called ganulocyte colony-stimulating factor, or G-CSF, and it spurs production of white blood cells that are a key infection fighter in the body. Last month, the drug was cleared for sale in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration.

Amgen, a biotechnology company based in Thousand Oaks, said the U.K. approval was the first step in its effort to sell the drug throughout Europe. It will be marketed jointly by Amgen and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., a Swiss pharmaceuticals concern.