Eprex, Roche's NeoRecormon and Amgen's Epogen are all versions of the same hormone, erythropoietin, or EPO.

FORBES: Magazine Article

"The best case is that they lose a third of their Eprex sales for chronic renal failure, " says Sweig.

FORBES: Magazine Article

French regulators are apparently concerned only with using Eprex to treat the anemia that occurs during chronic kidney failure.

FORBES: Magazine Article

On Nov. 30 The New York Times reported that French regulators were discussing pulling Eprex from the market entirely.

FORBES: European Woes May Hit J&J's Earnings

This morning, the drug giant confirmed in a press release that it is renegotiating the safety information on Eprex's label in France.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Sales of that drug actually fell in the fourth quarter as regulators cracked down on apparent problems with the way Eprex is injected in Europe.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Things are worse in Europe, where the drug is called Eprex.

FORBES: J&J Earnings Soar, But Competition Looms

Most of Eprex's problems may also come from manufacturing--that would explain why the same side effects are not cropping up as often with Amgen's and Roche's drugs.

FORBES: European Woes May Hit J&J's Earnings

Another example occurred between 2001 and 2003, when a biological to treat anemia called Eprex (chemical name, erythropoietin), a supposedly identical version of a sibling called Epogen (which was manufactured in a different facility), caused a 30-fold increase in a severe kind of anemia.

FORBES: Commentary