FDA panel favors Amgen platelet drug


A panel of government experts recommended approval for Amgen Inc.'s experimental biotech drug to treat a blood-clotting disorder.
Shares of Amgen, eroded by concerns about its anemia drugs, rose 77 cents, or 1.7 percent, Wednesday to $45.39 in afternoon trading Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration's panel of advisers voted unanimously in favor of Nplate, according toa company spokeswoman.
Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based Amgen has asked the government to approve Nplate for patients with a disorder that causes the body to attack its own platelets, tiny components of blood that help with clotting. The condition, which causes bruising and bleeding after minor injuries, affects about 200,000 people in the U.S.
Studies submitted to FDA by the company showed patients treated with the drug had significantly higher platelet levels than those taking placebo. The drug is a genetically engineered version of the protein that encourages platelet production.