Amgen Wins OK for Drug to Treat Blood Disorder

Amgen Inc., a Thousand Oaks-based biotechnology company, said its Neupogen drug has received U. S. Food and Drug Administration approval to be used in the treatment of severe chronic neutropenia, or SCN.

SCN is a rare blood disorder involving extremely low levels of infection-fighting white blood cells. Neupogen, which stimulates production of white blood cells, is already used by cancer chemotherapy patients and bone marrow transplant patients. Amgen said SCN affects about 1,000 to 2,000 children and adults in the United States.

Amgen said it expects little additional revenue following the latest FDA approval because most SCN patients will receive the drug for free in exchange for participating in an international registry that will collect information on the treatment of SCN patients.