1.   Doctors say it will improve the quality of life for kidney patients.

2.   Amgen only holds the rights to market Epogen to kidney patients in the United States.

3.   Amgen markets the drug under the brand name Epogen, primarily to treat anemia for kidney dialysis patients.

4.   Another California biotech Amgen Inc. devoted nine years to Epogen, a product that has allowed thousands of kidney patients with chronic anemia to lead normal lives.

5.   Aranesp requires less-frequent dosing than Epogen, which is expected to make it popular among kidney dialysis patients.

6.   At first, hemophiliacs, kidney dialysis patients and others who had transfusions were at risk.

7.   A kidney cancer patient himself, Schonfeld declined to participate in the Genetics Institute study, but said he has confidence in the drug.

8.   A kidney patient mentioned to Rana that if she wanted to avoid dialysis, the best place to go was Iraq.

9.   After that, efforts accelerated to detect the substance, which was initially developed to treat kidney transplant patients.

10.   Centeon, a joint venture of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Hoechst AG of Germany, produces blood plasma products for hemophiliacs and kidney dialysis patients.