Fish oil drug could be worth billions for Amarin

A key scientific panel of the US medicines regulator has voted unanimously in favor of granting a label expansion for Amarin’s (Nasdaq: AMRN) Vascepa (icosapent ethyl).

A favorable verdict was widely anticipated, after the release of Food and Drug Administration  briefing notes in advance of Thursday’s meeting. While the agency is not bound to follow the advice of the panel, it generally does.

While Vascepa has been approved to reduce triglycerides since 2012, the broader label would allow marketing to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients on standard-of-care statin therapy.