AMGEN GETS FDA OK FOR NEW ARANESP DOSING

Amgen has reported that the FDA has approved a new, less-frequent dosing regimen for its anemia treatment Aranesp.

The company said new labeling will allow the choice of dosing once every three weeks along with the current dosing regimen of once every week. The new dosing regimen is approved to treat low red blood cell count in chemotherapy patients with non-bone marrow cancers.

Under the new dosing, patients can either start on 500 micrograms of Aranesp every three weeks, or with the standard 2.25 micrograms per kilogram of weight every week.