HEALTH

Setback for Drug Maker: Immunex Corp. failed to get a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel’s backing for the most important use of its lead drug, Leukine. An FDA panel of medical experts said the increased risk of using Leukine for preventing a decline in white blood cells in cancer chemotherapy patients outweighs the apparent benefits. The panel did recommend approval for patients with already-depressed levels of white blood cells as a result of chemotherapy for acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, but it said the drug should be limited to patients older than 55 and for initial chemotherapy use.