Amylin off after Byetta update

Amylin (NASDAQ:AMLN) fell $6.76 (25%) to $20.48 on Wednesday after the company and partner Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) reported four additional deaths in patients taking Byetta exenatide on a post-market conference call Tuesday. The update followed an FDA alert last week reporting six new cases of acute hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, including two deaths, in patients taking the diabetes drug. Amylin said the four deaths not referenced in the alert "did not appear directly attributable to pancreatitis" (See BioCentury Extra, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008). ...