Firm won’t cover Amgen drug

At least one company that administers Medicare plans has decided to stop paying for the use of Amgen Inc.’s drug Aranesp to treat a certain type of anemia, citing safety concerns.

Noridian Administrative Services, which administers Medicare plans in several states including Oregon and Washington, will no longer pay for Aranesp’s use in anemia of cancer, medical director William Mangold said Monday. Aranesp’s use in anemia of cancer isn’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but insurers have typically covered this so-called off-label use if prescribing doctors deem it appropriate.

A spokesman with Thousand Oaks-based Amgen declined to comment.

Amgen shares rose 14 cents to $62.30 on Tuesday.

Noridian’s decision follows weeks of mounting concerns about Aranesp’s safety in certain cancer patients. The drug is approved by the FDA to treat chemotherapy-induced anemia and anemia in kidney disease, and Amgen says Aranesp is safe and effective for those uses. But recent clinical trials in cancer patients who aren’t undergoing chemotherapy -- the off-label use known as anemia of cancer -- have shown negative results. In one trial, cancer patients on Aranesp had a higher risk of death than those on a fake treatment.

In light of the new data, the FDA has scheduled an advisory committee meeting in May to discuss the use of Aranesp and other anti-anemia drugs in cancer patients.

Noridian’s decision to stop coverage is based on a move last month by an influential drug-reference guide, USP DI, to stop recommending Aranesp as a treatment for anemia of cancer, Mangold said. Noridian and other Medicare carriers typically base their reimbursement policies partly on USP DI.