NICE recommends ESAs for cancer treatment anemia

The U.K.'s NICE issued draft Eprex epoetin alfa from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), NeoRecormon epoetin beta from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) and Aranesp darbepoetin alfa from Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN). Comments are due May 9.

The draft guidance will replace 2008 final guidance from NICE that recommended against routine use of erythropoietin analogs -- including Eprex, NeoRecormon and Aranesp -- for cancer treatment-associated anemia, except in women receiving platinum-based chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and in patients with very severe anemia who couldn't receive blood transfusions (see BioCentury Extra, May 28, 2008). ...