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NCCN Announces Important Updates to Cancer- and Treatment-Related Anemia Guidelines

JENKINTOWN, Pa., May 10, 2006 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announces updates to the NCCN Cancer- and Treatment-Related Anemia Guidelines. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ are widely recognized and applied as the standard for clinical policy in oncology in both the community practice setting and in academic cancer centers. These guidelines are used extensively by managed care companies and by Medicare as the basis for coverage policies. These guidelines are updated continually and are based upon evaluation of scientific data integrated with expert judgment.

The NCCN Cancer- and Treatment-Related Anemia panel recently updated the guidelines to version 2.2006 due to the FDA approval of darbepoetin (Aranesp, Amgen) 500 mcg once every 3 weeks. The approval was based on data from a double-blind phase III study in 705 patients who were randomized to receive 500 mcg of darbepoetin alfa every 3 weeks or 2.25 mcg/kg of darbepoetin alfa once weekly for 15 weeks. This dosing schedule was added to the guidelines as a treatment option for erythropoietic therapy. In addition, response assessment and determination of subsequent erythropoietic therapy was previously based on hemoglobin response alone and the panel added the recommendation to continue erythropoietic therapy if the patient`s hemoglobin level is stable (within 1-2 g/dL of baseline) while receiving chemotherapy.

The area of cancer therapeutics is rapidly advancing. All constituencies (for example, physicians, patients, payors) in the cancer community look to the NCCN Guidelines as the most up-to-date, authoritative source of sound, scientific information to inform and improve decision-making. The NCCN remains committed to a guideline process that communicates to all, free of charge, recommendations about appropriate care,” said William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the NCCN.

For a detailed listing of all updates to the NCCN Guidelines, please go to www.nccn.org.