July 28, 2009 (FinancialWire) — Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI) said it has launched an underwritten public offering of up to 18 million shares of its common stock. Goldman, Sachs & Co. (NYSE: GS) and Citigroup Global Markets (NYSE: C) are acting as joint bookrunning managers.

The company plans to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2.7 million shares of the company’s common stock.

Human Genome plans to use net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including clinical trial, research and development, general and administrative and manufacturing expenses, as well as for potential sales and marketing activities.

The company said it may also use a portion of the proceeds for the potential acquisition of, or investment in, companies, products or technologies that complement its business.

Rockville, Maryland-based Human Genome Sciences is a commercially focused biopharmaceutical company. In the first half of 2009, HGS achieved its first product revenues of $162.7 million when it delivered raxibacumab to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile for the treatment of inhalation anthrax.

The company has two other products in late-stage clinical development, including Zalbin for chronic hepatitis C and Benlysta for systemic lupus erythematosus.

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