Amgen Inc. (formerly Applied Molecular Genetics Inc.) is an American multinational
biopharmaceutical
A biopharmaceutical, also known as a biological medical product, or biologic, is any pharmaceutical drug product manufactured in, extracted from, or semisynthesized from biological sources. Different from totally synthesized pharmaceuticals, t ...
company headquartered in
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown. It is named after the many oak trees ...
. One of the world's largest independent
biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
companies, Amgen was established in Thousand Oaks, California, in 1980.
[Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks Westlake Village: A Contemporary Portrait''. Community Communications, Inc. Page 37. .] Amgen's Thousand Oaks staff in 2017 numbered 5,125 (7.5% of total city employment) and included hundreds of scientists, making Amgen the largest employer in
Ventura County
Ventura County () is a County (United States), county in Southern California, the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, California ...
.
Focused on
molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and phys ...
and
biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology ...
, its goal is to provide a healthcare business based on
recombinant DNA technology
Molecular cloning is a set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms. The use of the word ''cloning'' refers to the fact that the metho ...
.
In 2018, the company's largest selling product lines were
Neulasta, an
immunostimulator used to prevent infections in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy and
Enbrel
Etanercept, sold under the brand name Enbrel among others, is a biologic medical product that is used to treat autoimmune diseases by interfering with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a soluble inflammatory cytokine, by acting as a TNF inhibitor. It h ...
, a
tumor necrosis factor
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF, cachexin, or cachectin; formerly known as tumor necrosis factor alpha or TNF-α) is an adipokine and a cytokine. TNF is a member of the TNF superfamily, which consists of various transmembrane proteins with a homologo ...
blocker used in the treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and ...
and other autoimmune diseases. Other products include
Epogen
Epoetin alfa is a human erythropoietin produced in cell culture using recombinant DNA technology. Authorised by the European Medicines Agency on 28 August 2007, it stimulates erythropoiesis (increasing red blood cell levels) and is used to treat ...
,
Aranesp
Darbepoetin alfa (INN) is a re-engineered form of erythropoietin containing 5 amino acid changes (N30, T32, V87, N88, T90) resulting in the creation of 2 new sites for N-linked carbohydrate addition. It has a 3-fold longer serum half-life compare ...
,
Sensipar
Cinacalcet, sold under the brand name Sensipar among others, is a medication used to treat tertiary hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid carcinoma, and primary hyperparathyroidism. Text was copied from this source which is © European Medicines Agenc ...
/
Mimpara
Cinacalcet, sold under the brand name Sensipar among others, is a medication used to treat tertiary hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid carcinoma, and primary hyperparathyroidism. Text was copied from this source which is © European Medicines Agenc ...
,
Nplate
Romiplostim, sold under the brand name Nplate among others, is a fusion protein analog of thrombopoietin, a hormone that regulates platelet production.
Indications and Marketing
The drug was developed by Amgen through a restricted usage progra ...
,
Vectibix
Panitumumab, sold under the brand name Vectibix, is a fully human monoclonal antibody specific to the epidermal growth factor receptor (also known as ''EGF receptor'', ''EGFR'', ''ErbB-1'' and ''HER1'' in humans).
Panitumumab is manufactured by ...
,
Prolia
Denosumab (trade names Prolia and Xgeva) is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis, treatment-induced bone loss, metastases to bone, and giant cell tumor of bone.
Denosumab is contraindicated in people with low blood cal ...
and
XGEVA
Denosumab (trade names Prolia and Xgeva) is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis, treatment-induced bone loss, metastases to bone, and giant cell tumor of bone.
Denosumab is contraindicated in people with low blood ca ...
. Amgen sponsored the
Tour of California
The Tour of California (officially sponsored as the Amgen Tour of California) was an annual professional road cycling stage race on the UCI World Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour that ran from 2006 to 2019. It was the only event on the t ...
from 2011 to 2017.
History

The word AMGen is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[initial public offering
An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investme ...](_blank)
). The company's first
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especial ...
, from 1980, was co-founder
George B. Rathmann
George Blatz Rathmann (1927–2012) was an American chemist, biologist, pioneer in biotechnology and corporate executive. In 1980 he co-founded and served as the first CEO of Amgen, and later founded Icos.
Background
Rathmann was born on Dece ...
, followed by
Gordon M. Binder in 1988,
followed by
Kevin W. Sharer in 2000.
Robert A. Bradway became Amgen’s president and chief executive officer in May 2012 following Sharer's retirement.
The company has made at least five major
corporate acquisitions.
Timeline
*1980. William Bowes from Cetus Corporation recruits Winston Salser from UCLA to start Amgen with a scientific advisory board consisting of
Norman Davidson,
Leroy Hood
Leroy "Lee" Edward Hood (born October 10, 1938) is an American biologist who has served on the faculties at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of Washington.
Hood has developed ground-breaking scientific instrume ...
,
Arnold Berk,
John Carbon
John A. Carbon, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus of molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1952 at the University of Illinois, and his Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry in 19 ...
,
Robert Schimke,
Arno Motulsky,
Marvin H. Caruthers
Marvin H. Caruthers (born February 11, 1940) is an American biochemist who is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Caruthers earned a B.S in chemistry at the Iowa State University in 1962 and a Ph.D in Biochemistry ...
, and Dave Gibson.
*1989. Amgen received approval for the first recombinant human erythropoetin product, Epogen, for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney failure. Epogen (also marketed by Johnson and Johnson under the tradename Procrit) would later be approved for anemia due to cancer chemotherapy, anemia due to treatment with certain
HIV drugs, and for the reduction of the need for transfusions associated with surgery.
* 1991. In February 1991, Amgen received FDA approval for Neupogen for the prevention of infections in patients whose immune systems are suppressed due to cancer chemotherapy. A 2002 meta-analysis found that Neupogen treatment reduced the risk of febrile neutropenia by 38%, reduced the risk of documented infection by 49%, and reduced the risk of infection-related mortality by 40%.
* 1998. In November 1998, Immunex, a future acquisition of Amgen, received approval for Enbrel (etanercept), the first rheumatoid arthritis drug targeting tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).
A 2006 assessment by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence of the United Kingdom concluded that etanercept and related rheumatoid arthritis drugs later introduced by competitors "are effective treatments compared with placebo for RA patients who are not well controlled by conventional DMARDs, improving control of symptoms, improving physical function, and slowing radiographic changes in joints." A more recent study demonstrated that compared to traditional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, treatment with etanercept improved survival, reduced cardiovascular events and reduced the incidence of hematological cancers.
* 2010. On June 6, 2010 Amgen received
FDA
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...
approval for Prolia, a protein drug for the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. In clinical trials, Prolia reduced the rate of vertebral fractures by 61% and the risk of hip fractures by 40%.
* 2010 In November 2010 the
FDA
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...
approved Xgeva for the prevention of complications of bone metastases in patients with solid tumors. The clinical trials primarily enrolled patients with breast or prostate cancer.
* 2012. Illegal marketing practices. The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' reported on December 18, 2012 that Amgen pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $150 million in criminal penalty and $612 million to resolve 11 related
whistleblower
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, often an employee, who reveals information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent. Whi ...
complaints. Federal prosecutors accused the company of pursuing profits while putting patients at risk. Larry Husten, a contributor at Forbes.com elaborates on AMGEN's illegal marketing practices in this case, namely that the "government accused Amgen of marketing Aranesp for indications not approved by the FDA and other illegal marketing practices". One of the drugs mentioned in the lawsuit had sales of $492 million in the third quarter of 2012, down 17% from the same quarter the previous year due to "reimbursement problems and label changes".
* 2013. Lawmakers inserted text into the fiscal cliff bill that will allow the drugmaker to sell a class of drugs that includes Sensipar without government controls for an additional two years. The New York Times estimated that the paragraph in the fiscal cliff bill will cost taxpayers an estimated $500 million but other assessments concluded that the change would protect seniors in rural areas and reduce overall Medicare spending.
*2015. In September the company announced it would acquire Dezima Pharma for more than $1.55 billion.
The same day the company announced a collaboration with Xencor on 6 early stage immuno-oncology and inflammation programmes. As part of the deal Amgen will pay $45 million upfront, with the deal being worth up to another $1.7 billion.
*2016. In September, the company announced it would purchase the rights to
Boehringer Ingelheim
C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. is the parent company of the Boehringer Ingelheim group, which was founded in 1885 by Albert Boehringer in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany. As of 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical ...
s Phase I bispecific T-cell engager compound (BI 836909, now AMG 420) for use in the treatment of
multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, ane ...
.
*2017. Cash returned to shareholders totalled a record $6.5 billion through dividends and share repurchases.
*2018. Amgen was ranked 123 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by revenue.
*2019. Amgen announced it would acquire Nuevolution AB for 1.61 billion Swedish crowns ($166.8 million) to enhance its drug discovery capabilities. In August the company announced it would acquire the
Otezla drug programme from
Celgene for $13.4 billion, as part of Celgene and
Bristol-Myers Squibb
The Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in New York City, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consistently ranks on the ''Fortune'' 500 list of the l ...
s merger deal. In October, Amgen announced it would be acquiring a 20.5% stake in the
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
-based BeiGene for $2.7 billion. In November, Amgen awarded a $2 million grant to the
CDC Foundation to launch the latter's EmPOWERED Health Program, promoting patient engagement in decision making for their cancer treatment.
*2021. In March, the company announced it would acquire Five Prime Therapeutics and its lead candidate,
bemarituzumab, for $1.9 billion and Rodeo Therapeutics for up to $720 million. In July, Amgen acquired Teneobio for $900 million.
*2022. In August, the company agreed to acquire ChemoCentryx for $3.7 billion in an all-cash deal. ChemoCentryx is the maker of
Tavneos—a drug treatment for rare diseases called anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated
vasculitis
Vasculitis is a group of disorders that destroy blood vessels by inflammation. Both arteries and veins are affected. Lymphangitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessels) is sometimes considered a type of vasculitis. Vasculitis is primarily caused ...
—which was approved last year. In December, the company announced it would acquire
Horizon Therapeutics
Horizon Therapeutics Public Ltd Co is a biopharmaceutical company focused on researching, developing, and commercializing medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare and rheumatic diseases. Horizon primarily markets products ...
for $27.8 billion ($116.50 in cash for each Horizon share, a 20% premium) expanding its rare disease treatments.
Acquisition history
*Amgen
(Founded 1983 as Applied Molecular Genetics)
**Synergen Inc
(Acq 1994)
**Kinetix Pharmaceuticals Inc
(Acq 2000)
**Immunex Corporation
(Acq 2002)
**Tularik Inc
(Acq 2004)
**Abgenix Inc
(Acq 2006)
**Avidia Inc
(Acq 2006)
**Alantos Pharmaceuticals
(Acq 2007)
**Ilypsa Inc
(Acq 2007)
**BioVex Group Inc
(Acq 2011)
**Micromet Inc
(Acq 2012)
**Mustafa Nevzat İlaç
(Acq 2012)
**KAI Pharmaceuticals
(Acq 2012)
**
deCODE genetics
deCODE genetics ( is, Íslensk erfðagreining) is a biopharmaceutical company based in Reykjavík, Iceland. The company was founded in 1996 by Kári Stefánsson with the aim of using population genetics studies to identify variations in the huma ...
(Acq 2012)
**
Onyx Pharmaceuticals
Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California. The company developed and marketed medicines for the treatment of cancer. Onyx was founded in 1992 by Kevin J. Kinsella and Frank ...
(Acq 2013)
**NextCODE genetics
(Spun off 2013)
**Dezima Pharma
(Acq 2015)
**Catherex
(Acq 2015)
**Nuevolution AB
(Acq 2019)
**Otezla
(Acq 2019)
**Five Prime Therapeutics
(Acq 2021)
**Rodeo Therapeutics
(Acq 2021)
**Teneobio
(Acq 2021)
**ChemoCentryx
(Acq 2022)
**
Horizon Therapeutics
Horizon Therapeutics Public Ltd Co is a biopharmaceutical company focused on researching, developing, and commercializing medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare and rheumatic diseases. Horizon primarily markets products ...
(Acq announced 2022)
***Vidara Therapeutics International
(Acq 2014)
***Hyperion Therapeutics
(Acq 2015)
***Crealta Holdings
(Acq 2015)
***Raptor Pharmaceutical
(Acq 2016)
***River Vision Development Corp.
(Acq 2017)
***Viela Bio Inc
(Acq 2021)
Products
Amgen's
approved drug
An approved drug is a Medicine, medicinal preparation that has been validated for a therapeutic use by a Regulation of therapeutic goods, ruling authority of a government. This process is usually specific by country, unless specified otherwise.
P ...
s or therapeutic biologicals include:
*Aimovig (
erenumab-aooe
Erenumab, sold under the brand name Aimovig, is a medication which targets the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor (CGRPR) for the prevention of migraine. It is administered by subcutaneous injection.
Erenumab, which was developed by Amgen ...
) for
migraine headaches
Migraine (, ) is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headaches. Typically, the associated headache affects one side of the head, is pulsating in nature, may be moderate to severe in intensity, and could last from a few hou ...
*Aranesp (
darbepoetin alfa) for
anemia
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, ...
*Blincyto (
blinatumomab for the treatment of
acute lymphoblastic leukemia)
*Corlanor (
ivabradine)
*Enbrel (
etanercept
Etanercept, sold under the brand name Enbrel among others, is a biologic medical product that is used to treat autoimmune diseases by interfering with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a soluble inflammatory cytokine, by acting as a TNF inhibitor. It h ...
) for various forms of
arthritis
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In some ...
*Epogen (
erythropoietin
Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the bon ...
) for
anemia
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, ...
*Evenity (
romosozumab-aqqg) for
osteoporosis
*Imlygic (
talimogene laherparepvec
Talimogene laherparepvec, sold under the brand name Imlygic, is a biopharmaceutical medication used to treat melanoma that cannot be operated on; it is injected directly into a subset of lesions which generates a systemic immune response against ...
) for local treatment of unresectable cutaneous, subcutaneous, and nodal lesions in melanoma recurrent after initial surgery
*Kyprolis (
carfilzomib
Carfilzomib, sold under the brand name Kyprolis, is an anti-cancer medication acting as a selective proteasome inhibitor. Chemically, it is a tetrapeptide epoxyketone and an analog of epoxomicin. It was developed by Onyx Pharmaceuticals.
The ...
)
*Lumakras (
sotorasib
Sotorasib, sold under the brand names Lumakras and Lumykras, is an anti-cancer medication used to treat non-small-cell lung cancer. It targets a specific mutation, G12C, in the protein K-Ras encoded by gene KRAS which is responsible for vario ...
)
*Neulasta (
pegfilgrastim
Pegfilgrastim, sold under the brand name Neulasta among others, is a PEGylated form of the recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) analog filgrastim. It serves to stimulate the production of white blood cells (neutrophils) ...
) for
neutropenia
Neutropenia is an abnormally low concentration of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood. Neutrophils make up the majority of circulating white blood cells and serve as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteri ...
*Neupogen (
granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF or GCSF), also known as colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF 3), is a glycoprotein that stimulates the bone marrow to produce granulocytes and stem cells and release them into the bloodstream.
Functiona ...
) for
neutropenia
Neutropenia is an abnormally low concentration of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood. Neutrophils make up the majority of circulating white blood cells and serve as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteri ...
*Nplate (
romiplostim) for chronic
immune thrombocytopenic purpura
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), also known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or immune thrombocytopenia, is a type of thrombocytopenic purpura defined as an isolated low platelet count with a normal bone marrow in the absence of othe ...
*Parsabiv (
etelcalcetide)
*Prolia (
denosumab
Denosumab (trade names Prolia and Xgeva) is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis, treatment-induced bone loss, metastases to bone, and giant cell tumor of bone.
Denosumab is contraindicated in people with low blood cal ...
) for postmenopausal
osteoporosis
*Repatha (
evolocumab
Evolocumab (trade name Repatha) is a monoclonal antibody medication designed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Evolocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). PCSK9 is a pro ...
)
*Sensipar/Mimpara (
cinacalcet for primary and
secondary hyperparathyroidism
Secondary hyperparathyroidism is the medical condition of excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by the parathyroid glands in response to hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels), with resultant hyperplasia of these glands. This disorder ...
, a mineral metabolism complication common in patients with kidney failure)
*Tezspire (
tezepelumab) for asthma
*Vectibix (
panitumumab
Panitumumab, sold under the brand name Vectibix, is a fully human monoclonal antibody specific to the epidermal growth factor receptor (also known as ''EGF receptor'', ''EGFR'', ''ErbB-1'' and ''HER1'' in humans).
Panitumumab is manufactured by ...
for
colon cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...
)
*Xgeva (
denosumab
Denosumab (trade names Prolia and Xgeva) is a human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis, treatment-induced bone loss, metastases to bone, and giant cell tumor of bone.
Denosumab is contraindicated in people with low blood cal ...
) for the prevention of skeletal-related events (pathological fracture, radiation to bone, spinal cord compression or surgery to bone in adults with bone metastases from solid tumors)
Products developed and then sold off
* Kepivance (
palifermin for
oral mucositis
Mucositis is the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract, usually as an adverse effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Mucositis can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal (G ...
, sold to Biovitrium, now
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, in December 2008
[Amgen press office]
Biovitrum Closes Product Acquisition Deal with Amgen
*StemGen (
ancestim) for use in combination with
filgrastim
Filgrastim, sold under the brand name Neupogen among others, is a medication used to treat low neutrophil count. Low neutrophil counts may occur with HIV/AIDS, following chemotherapy or radiation poisoning, or be of an unknown cause. It may ...
for mobilizing peripheral
hematopoietic stem cells) (sold to Biovitrium, now Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, in December 2008)
[
*Kineret (]anakinra
Anakinra, sold under the brand name Kineret, is a biopharmaceutical medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, familial Mediterranean fever, and Still's disease. It is a recombinant and slightly modif ...
) for rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and ...
, exclusively licensed to Biovitrium, now Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, in December 2008[
]
Pipeline and clinical trials
In December 2013, Amgen had 11 drugs in Phase III clinical trials
Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietar ...
. In November 2014 the company announced it was halting all trials of rilotumumab in advanced gastric cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Ly ...
patients after one of the trials found more deaths in those who took the compound with chemotherapy, than those without. Later in the same week, the company in conjunction with AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc () is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, England. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includ ...
reported positive results for brodalumab in a Phase III trial comparing the compound with ustekinumab and a placebo
A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures.
In general ...
in treating psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by raised areas of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to complet ...
.
In March 2015, the company announced it would license its Phase II candidate drug AMG 714 to developer Celimmune who plan to develop the anti-IL-15 monoclonal antibody
A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell Lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell.
Monoclonal antibodies ...
for treatment against diet nonresponsive celiac disease
Coeliac disease ( British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine, where individuals develop intolerance to gluten, present in foods such as wheat, rye and ba ...
and refractory celiac disease.
In June 2015, Amgen presented Phase II clinical trial data for their anti-CGRP
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a member of the calcitonin family of peptides consisting of calcitonin, amylin, adrenomedullin, adrenomedullin 2 (intermedin) and calcitonin‑receptor‑stimulating peptide. Calcitonin is mainly pr ...
antibody AMG 334 for migraine
Migraine (, ) is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headaches. Typically, the associated headache affects one side of the head, is pulsating in nature, may be moderate to severe in intensity, and could last from a few ho ...
, approved for sale as Aimovig in 2019.
In September 2019, FDA granted fast track designation to sotorasib
Sotorasib, sold under the brand names Lumakras and Lumykras, is an anti-cancer medication used to treat non-small-cell lung cancer. It targets a specific mutation, G12C, in the protein K-Ras encoded by gene KRAS which is responsible for vario ...
for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is any type of epithelial lung cancer other than small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). NSCLC accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. As a class, NSCLCs are relatively insensitive to chemotherapy, compared to sm ...
(NSCLC) with the KRAS G12C mutation. In May 2021, sotorasib received accelerated approval from FDA for treatment of adult patients with NSCLC whose tumors have a KRAS G12C mutation and who have received at least one prior systemic therapy; this was the first approved targeted therapy for tumors with any KRAS mutation. Similar approvals for sotorasib in NSCLC followed in January 2022 in Europe and Japan.
In September 2022, data from a late-stage study showed the company's cancer pill Lumakras beating out chemotherapy. This was the first approved drug in the set of treatments that target KRAS, among the most common generic mutations found in cancers but one where researchers have struggled for years to design drugs to treat. The drug was approved in 2021 with a list price of $17,900 per month.
Carbon footprint
Amgen reported Total CO2e emissions (Direct + Indirect) for the twelve months ending 31 December 2020 at 243 Kt (-6 /-2.4% y-o-y)[Alt URL]
/ref> and aims to reach net zero emissions by 2027.
Public-private engagement
Amgen engages with the public and private sectors in a variety of settings including to promote research and development
Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...
, academic funding, event sponsorship, philanthropy
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
, and political lobbying
In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...
.
Academia
* Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States, is an independent center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It has served as the academic home of internationally preeminent scholar ...
- Donor to various IAS campaigns, including the IAS/Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI), the Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE), and the Opportunity Equation (OE).
* LA Promise Fund - Sponsor of the Amgen Biotech Experience Los Angeles (ABE-LA).
* University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
- Donor to U of T's Boundless campaign.
* University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seat ...
- Donor.
Events and conferences
* Alberta Kidney Days - Virtual series sponsor.
* BC Kidney Days - Sponsor.
* Mentoring in IBD - Sponsor.
* Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (previously, ''Princess Margaret Hospital'') is a scientific research centre and a teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, affiliated with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine as part of the Un ...
(PMCC) Conference - Sponsor.
Health care
* Kingston General Hospital - Donor.
* Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (previously, ''Princess Margaret Hospital'') is a scientific research centre and a teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, affiliated with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine as part of the Un ...
- Donor to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
* Providence Health Care - Donor.
* Scarborough Health Network - Donor to the SHN Foundation.
* SickKids - Donor to the SickKids Foundation.
* Sinai Health System
The Sinai Health is a hospital system which serves Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It comprises two hospitals, Mount Sinai Hospital (an acute care hospital) and Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, formally Bridgepoint Active Healthcare (a rehabilitation hos ...
- Donor to the Sinai Health Foundation.
* St. Michael's Hospital - Donor.
* Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC), commonly known as Sunnybrook Hospital or simply Sunnybrook, is an academic health science centre located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest trauma centre in Canada and one of two trauma centr ...
- Donor to the Sunnybrook Foundation.
* Unity Health Toronto
Unity Health Toronto is a Catholic hospital network serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was initially founded in 2017 under the provisional name Our Shared Purpose through the merger of St. Michael's Hospital, Providence Healthcare and St. Jose ...
- Donor.
* University Health Network
University Health Network (UHN) is a public research and teaching hospital network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest health research organization in Canada and ranks first in Canada for total research funding. It was named Canada's ...
- Donor to the UHN Foundation.
* Women's College Hospital
Women's College Hospital is a teaching hospital in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the north end of Hospital Row, a section of University Avenue where several major hospitals are located. It currently functions as an indepen ...
- Donor.
Media
* National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world.
Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, ...
- Donor.
Medical societies
* American Society of Hematology - Corporate funder.
* Arthritis Society (Canada) - Partner.
* Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists
The Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP) is a professional organization representing the interests of pharmacists
A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonw ...
- Donor to the CSHP Foundation.
* Canadian Society of Nephrology
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
- Corporate partner.
* Endocrine Society
The Endocrine Society is a professional, international medical organization in the field of endocrinology and metabolism, founded in 1916 as The Association for the Study of Internal Secretions. The official name of the organization was changed ...
- Corporate liaison board member.
* European Society of Cardiology
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is an independent non-profit, non-governmental professional association that works to advance the prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and improve scientific un ...
- Sponsor for the EORP registry programme.
* Federation of Medical Women in Canada
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing ...
- Sponsor.
Political lobbying
* Alliance for a Stronger FDA
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
- Member.
* Alliance for Aging Research
The Alliance for Aging Research is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that promotes medical research to improve the human experience of aging. Founded in 1986 by Daniel Perry, the Alliance also advocates and implements health edu ...
- Donor.
* BIOTECanada - Member.
* Bipartisan Policy Center
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that promotes bipartisanship. The organization aims to combine ideas from both the Republican and Democratic parties to address challenges in the U.S. BPC focuses on is ...
- Donor.
* The Business Council
The Business Council is an organization of business leaders headquartered in Washington, D.C.[Robert A. Bradway
Robert A. Bradway is an American businessman. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen.
Education
Bradway holds a B.S. degree in biology from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard University.
Career
Bradway joined Morgan St ...](_blank)
.
* CDC Foundation - Funding partner.
* Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) - Industry partner.
* Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is a nonprofit organization that is independent and nonpartisan. CFR is based in New York Ci ...
- Affiliate.
* European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) - Member.
* Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) - Donor.
* Global Health Progress
Global means of or referring to a globe and may also refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003
* ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007
* ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 1989
* ''Global'' (Todd Rundgren album), 2015
* Bruno ...
- Partner. GHP is a multinational resource hub hosted by the (IFPMA).
* Health Products Stewardship Association
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiz ...
- Member.
* Innovative Medicines Canada - Member company.
* (IFPMA) - Member.
* Life Sciences British Columbia
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy transf ...
- Sponsor.
* Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles - Disaster relief grant provider.
* National Health Council
The National Health Council (NHC) is a nonprofit association of health organizations.
Its members are national health-related organizations, including leading patient advocacy groups such as the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Associa ...
- Member.
* Personalized Medicine Coalition - Member.
* Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board
The Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization based in Pickering, Ontario. Acting as a pseudo-regulatory body, PAAB offers review and pre-clearance services recognized by Health Canada to pharmaceu ...
(PAAB) - Client. PAAB "maintains a collaborative relationship” with Health Canada.
* Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA, pronounced ), formerly known as the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, is a trade group representing companies in the pharmaceutical industry in the United States. Founded in 195 ...
(PhRMA) - Member.
* Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration - Donor.
* Research!America - Member.
Professional associations
* British Columbia Pharmacy Association
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
- Sponsor.
* Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) was founded in 1962 to promote the study of the digestive tract in health and disease, including liver disease. The Association is built on broad principles and includes individuals of differen ...
- Corporate sponsor.
* Canadian Association of Radiologists
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
- Corporate partner.
* Canadian Rheumatology Association - Corporate sponsor.
* Canadian Urological Association - Corporate sponsor.
* Colorectal Cancer Canada
The large intestine, also known as the large bowel, is the last part of the gastrointestinal tract and of the digestive system in tetrapods. Water is absorbed here and the remaining waste material is stored in the rectum as feces before being rem ...
- Sponsor.
* Ontario Medical Association - Donor.
Research and development
* Alberta Kidney Disease Network
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
- Grant provider.
* Can-SOLVE CKD Network - Funding partner.
* Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that carries out economic and social policy research to "open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions". The institute receives funding from government contracts, foundations and pr ...
- Donor.
See also
* '' Kirin-Amgen v Hoechst Marion Roussel'', a UK patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling disclo ...
case decided by the House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...
* ''Amgen Inc. v. Harris
The Supreme Court of the United States handed down eighteen '' per curiam'' opinions during its 2015 term, which began October 5, 2015 and concluded October 2, 2016.The descriptions of five opinions have been omitted:
Because ''per curiam'' deci ...
'', a United States Supreme Court case on employment law.
*Evolocumab
Evolocumab (trade name Repatha) is a monoclonal antibody medication designed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Evolocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). PCSK9 is a pro ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Biotechnology companies of the United States
Biopharmaceutical companies
Companies based in Thousand Oaks, California
Companies listed on the Nasdaq
Companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Life sciences industry
Multinational companies headquartered in the United States
Orphan drug companies
Pharmaceutical companies established in 1980
Biotechnology companies established in 1980
Pharmaceutical companies of the United States
1980 establishments in California
1980s initial public offerings