Neupogen

Executive Summary

Amgen's granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) is not an orphan drug, the firm pointed out in a Sept. 23 letter to "The Pink Sheet." "In fact, the drug's approved indication [for febrile neutropenia associated with chemotherapy] precludes it from being covered by the Orphan Drug Act," Amgen said. The patient population for Neupogen is estimated by the firm to be in the 200,000-400,000 range. The letter from Amgen was in response to a reference by the National Organization for Rare Disorders to the orphan designation of Neupogen as an example of an abuse of the law ("The Pink Sheet"Sept. 2, T&G-2). . . .