AMGEN TOUTING ENBREL'S EVERY STEP.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - Amgen Inc. submitted more data to federal regulators Wednesday about arthritis drug Enbrel, furthering its campaign to broaden the product's market share.

Selling a rheumatoid arthritis drug isn't easy when there are several other viable options on the shelves. But Amgen has been a public-relations machine, keeping investors abreast of every single development surrounding Enbrel, no matter how minor. The company's most recent press release consists of three paragraphs supporting Enbrel's ability to inhibit structural damage in arthritis patients.

``It's all about marketing. The company has had several of these releases. Amgen simply wants to broaden the drug's label. This is how you do it,'' said Stefan Loren, an analyst with Legg Mason in Maryland.

The company has good reason to market Enbrel with ferocity. The drug is among the Thousand Oaks-based company's select few that possess boundless potential. Rebecca Hamm, a spokeswoman for the company, said Wednesday's announcement does not imply that Enbrel has any sort of new indication; it's simply a function of disseminating more information about the drug.

``We also have a limited number of products, and Enbrel makes up an important share for Amgen,'' she said.

Though sales of the anti-inflammatory drug reached $204 million in the fourth quarter, Enbrel hasn't been an overnight success. About 23,000 patients were unable to treat their arthritis symptoms in August because of sluggish production levels. Amgen was able to meet demand after the Food and Drug Administration approved a 250,000-square-foot Enbrel manufacturing facility in Rhode Island.

Still, production levels alone are not enough to ward off competition. Abbott Laboratories' rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira received FDA approval in December. Analysts say the drug poses the greatest threat to Enbrel's dominance. Bill Tanner, analyst with Leerink Swann & Company in Boston, doesn't believe Humira can outpace Enbrel right away, ``but Amgen obviously needs to keep watch.''

``It's clear that Humira looks to be pretty effective,'' Tanner said. ``So Amgen needs to do everything it can to market Enbrel.''

Johnson & Johnson has proved a formidable player in the treatment of arthritis. The company manufactures Remicade, a therapy that treats Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Johnson & Johnson is also in the process of acquiring the biotechnology company Scios. Scios manufactures an experimental oral treatment for rheumatoid arthritis called SCIO-469. Remicade, Enbrel and Humira are all administered via injection. Tanner said the Scios drug is generating a lot of talk because it does not require an injection.

``But that doesn't mean it's more effective in any way,'' he said. ``In fact, there could be more side effects associated with Scios'

drug because it's not a biologic.''

Biologics rely on living organisms to treat a particular ailment. They are considered more effective because of their ability to focus on a specific problem.

Aside from being a biologic, Enbrel also treats psoriasis. `'And that's an indication some of these other drugs do not share,'' Tanner said.

Amgen shares gained 36 cents to close at $53.98 Wednesday on the Nasdaq market.