Amgen isn’t a biotech company. It’s a magnet for law enforcement and politicians.

The latest to target the biotech is NY Attroney General Andy Cuomo, whose staff wants documents related to its sales and marketing activities, medical education, clinical studies, pricing and contracting, license and distribution agreements and corporate communications. The subpoena was received May 10, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, and intends to cooperate, An initial response is due later this month.

Cuomo will have to get in line, though. Congress is already asking the same questions about sales and marketing practices. And the SEC is probing Amgen’s failure to promptly and thoroughly disclose negative results of a key clinical trial, which ended over safety concerns and only became known after an industry newsletter published the details.

Of course, these probes aren’t ceo Kevin Sharer’s only probems. An FDA advisory panel recommended restrictions on Amgen’s Aranesp anemia med due to safety concerns and suggested further studies be undertaken.

Not surprisingly, shareholders are angry. Last week, a shareholder served a demand on the board, seeking a special litigation committee to investigate potential breaches in fiduciary duties by current and/or former officers and directors, according to the filing.

In addition, a class-action shareholder litigation lawsuit was filed against Amgen and individual defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on May 11. The complaint alleges Amgen and other defendants made false statements that resulted in fraud.

Despite the mountain of problems, Sharer recently declared a crisis isn’t at hand.

Further reading:
Associated Press;
The SEC filing.[tags]Amgen, New York Attorney General[/tags]