Johnson Probing Ill Effect of Anemia Drug

Johnson & Johnson said that the number of patients who have developed a rare blood disorder when treated with the firm’s anemia drug has risen to 124 worldwide and that one of those patients died.

In a letter to Canadian doctors, Johnson & Johnson said it is investigating possible triggers of the blood disorder, called pure red-blood cell aplasia. Aplasia is a condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce vital red blood cells--the opposite of the drug’s intended function.

The drug Eprex, which has been around for 15 years, is marketed in the United States as Procrit. It mainly is for cancer patients who develop anemia as a result of chemotherapy. Combined global sales of Eprex and Procrit last year were about $3.8 billion.

Johnson & Johnson shares rose 27 cents to $54.41 on the NYSE.