FDA expected to act soon on Amgen’s Nplate

It's down to the nail-biting stage of drug discovery for Amgen's Nplate team. Analysts say they expect a formal decision from the FDA on the blood-clotting drug by tomorrow. And with the endorsement of an expert FDA committee, the betting is going in Amgen's favor. That would be good news for a big biotech player which has been dealt some sharp blows recently.

An approval may well set the stage for some direct competition with Promacta, an experimental therapy from GlaxoSmithKline and Ligand which is also awaiting FDA action. Nplate is an injectable drug intended for long-term use while Promacta is a pill designed for short-term therapy.

- read the AP report

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