Thousand Oaks-based Amgen agreed to pay $71 million in a settlement with California, 47 other states and the District of Columbia because the biotech giant unlawfully promoted two drugs.

According to a news release Aug. 18 from California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Amgen unlawfully promoted biologic medications Enbrel and Aranesp by “promoting Aranesp for dosing frequencies longer than the FDA approved label without competent and reliable scientific evidence to substantiate the extended dosing frequencies, promoting Aranesp for anemia caused by cancer without having FDA approval or competent and reliable scientific evidence to support it; and promoting Enbrel for mild plaque psoriasis even though Enbrel is only approved by the FDA to treat chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.”

Harris said the false marketing denied consumers the ability to make informed decisions about their health.

“This settlement will hold the company accountable for its deceptive marketing and prevent it from using misleading practices in the future,” Harris said.

As part of the settlement, Amgen also has to reform its marketing and promotional practices.

California will receive $4.6 million as part of the settlement.