Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today issued the following statement:
Amgen has received notice from the European Medicines Agency
(EMEA) that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human
Use (CHMP) has adopted a negative opinion for Amgen's marketing
authorization application (MAA) for Vectibix(TM) (panitumumab) for
patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have failed
chemotherapy.
In accordance with European regulations, Amgen intends to request
re-examination of the CHMP opinion through the appeal procedure.
Notwithstanding the CHMP's initial view, Amgen is confident that the
available data demonstrates that Vectibix improves progression-free
survival (PFS) for mCRC patients who have progressed on, or following
fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-containing
chemotherapy regimens.
Vectibix is the first fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody (MAb)
that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), a protein
that plays an important role in cancer cell signalling, a well
validated target in oncology. Vectibix was approved by the United
States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2006. The FDA
approval of Vectibix was based on a progression-free survival
endpoint.
About Vectibix
Vectibix is indicated in the United States for the treatment of
patients with epidermal growth factor receptor- (EGFr) expressing
metastatic colorectal cancer after disease progression on or following
fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan- containing
chemotherapy regimens. The effectiveness of Vectibix for the treatment
of EGFr-expressing, metastatic colorectal carcinoma is based on
progression-free survival. Currently no data are available that
demonstrate an improvement in disease-related symptoms or increased
survival with Vectibix.
Important Product Safety Information
Dermatologic toxicities, related to Vectibix blockade of EGF
binding and subsequent inhibition of EGF receptor-mediated signaling
pathways, included but were not limited to dermatitis acneiform,
pruritus, erythema, rash, skin exfoliation, paronychia, dry skin, and
skin fissures. Dermatologic toxicities were reported in 89 percent of
patients treated with Vectibix and were severe in 12 percent of
patients. Severe dermatologic toxicities were complicated by
infection, including sepsis, septic death, and abscesses requiring
incisions and drainage. Vectibix may need to be withheld or
discontinued for severe dermatologic toxicities.
Severe infusion reactions occurred with Vectibix in approximately
1 percent of patients. Severe infusion reactions were identified as
anaphylactic reactions, bronchospasm, fever, chills, and hypotension.
Although fatal infusion reactions have not been reported with
Vectibix, they have occurred with other monoclonal antibody products.
Severe infusion reactions require stopping the infusion and possibly
permanently discontinuing Vectibix, depending on the severity and/or
persistence of the reaction.
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human
therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the
first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe
and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient.
Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping
millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer,
kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses.
With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen
remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve
people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital
medicines, visit www.amgen.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are
based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject
to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those described. All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements
that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates
of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other
financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory
or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or
practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes and other such
estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant
risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more
fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
reports filed by Amgen, including Amgen's most recent annual report on
Form 10-K and most recent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.
Please refer to Amgen's most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K for
additional information on the uncertainties and risk factors related
to our business. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this
information as of May 25, 2007 and expressly disclaims any duty to
update information contained in this news release.
No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results
may differ materially from those we project. Discovery or
identification of new product candidates or development of new
indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement
from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no
guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a
new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a
commercial product. Further, preclinical results do not guarantee safe
and effective performance of product candidates in humans. The
complexity of the human body cannot be perfectly, or sometimes, even
adequately modeled by computer or cell culture systems or animal
models. The length of time that it takes for us to complete clinical
trials and obtain regulatory approval for product marketing has in the
past varied and we expect similar variability in the future. We
develop product candidates internally and through licensing
collaborations, partnerships and joint ventures. Product candidates
that are derived from relationships may be subject to disputes between
the parties or may prove to be not as effective or as safe as we may
have believed at the time of entering into such relationship. Also, we
or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing
problems with our products after they are on the market. Our business
may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and products
liability claims. We depend on third parties for a significant portion
of our manufacturing capacity for the supply of certain of our current
and future products and limits on supply may constrain sales of
certain of our current products and product candidate development.
In addition, sales of our products are affected by the
reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payors, including
governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and
may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and
domestic and international trends toward managed care and health care
cost containment as well as U.S. legislation affecting pharmaceutical
pricing and reimbursement. Government and others' regulations and
reimbursement policies may affect the development, usage and pricing
of our products. In addition, we compete with other companies with
respect to some of our marketed products as well as for the discovery
and development of new products. We believe that some of our newer
products, product candidates or new indications for existing products,
may face competition when and as they are approved and marketed. Our
products may compete against products that have lower prices,
established reimbursement, superior performance, are easier to
administer, or that are otherwise competitive with our products. In
addition, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and
technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent
applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our
competitors and there can be no guarantee of our ability to obtain or
maintain patent protection for our products or product candidates. We
cannot guarantee that we will be able to produce commercially
successful products or maintain the commercial success of our existing
products. Our stock price may be affected by actual or perceived
market opportunity, competitive position, and success or failure of
our products or product candidates. Further, the discovery of
significant problems with a product similar to one of our products
that implicate an entire class of products could have a material
adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business
and results of operations.
The scientific information discussed in this news release related
to our product candidates is preliminary and investigative. Such
product candidates are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and no conclusions can or should be drawn
regarding the safety or effectiveness of the product candidates. Only
the FDA can determine whether the product candidates are safe and
effective for the use(s) being investigated. Further, the scientific
information discussed in this news release relating to new indications
for our products is preliminary and investigative and is not part of
the labeling approved by the FDA for the products. The products are
not approved for the investigational use(s) discussed in this news
release, and no conclusions can or should be drawn regarding the
safety or effectiveness of the products for these uses. Only the FDA
can determine whether the products are safe and effective for these
uses. Healthcare professionals should refer to and rely upon the
FDA-approved labeling for the products, and not the information
discussed in this news release.
