Amgen Europe in the Renal Anaemia Treatment Market

Amgen Europe has launched Aranesp, a second-generation EPO product in a market dominated by Johnson & Johnson's pioneering Eprex (US name Procrit), followed by NeoRecormon from Roche. One year after the launch, the sales and market share of Aranesp are below target. Amgen Europe is reviewing its marketing strategy for Aranesp, taking into account competitors' repositioning moves, and recent reports of adverse events associated mainly with Eprex.

The main objectives of the case are to practice - market segmentation and target market selection, - product positioning - in an oligopolistic setting, where target market selection and positioning decisions have to take into account competitors' choices, and - in a context, where unforeseen events are forcing all competitors to review and, possibly, change their marketing strategy.