Amgen K.K. Will Focus on Bringing Amgen’s Full Global Pipeline to Japanese Patients
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., March 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that it has consummated the purchase from Astellas of 49% of shares of Amgen Astellas BioPharma K.K. (AABP), a joint venture between Amgen and Astellas established in 2013. AABP, which is now a wholly-owned Amgen affiliate in Japan renamed Amgen K.K., has enabled Amgen to build a strong presence in Japan as it advances treatments for serious illnesses.
“With roughly one-quarter of its population 65 or older, Japan will require ever more innovative medicines to treat diseases associated with the aging process,” said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen. “Our current and emerging portfolio of medicines matches up well with the needs of patients in Japan.”
“Amgen medicines have been available for patients in Japan for many years through local partnerships, including most recently our joint venture with Astellas. Going forward, Amgen K.K. will continue marketing our treatments for patients with cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis, as well as new medicines emerging from our pipeline,” said Steve Sugino, president and representative director of Amgen K.K. “As Amgen K.K., we will continue to work and invest to become an even more valuable member of the healthcare community in Japan.”
Since 2011, Amgen has expanded its geographic presence from approximately 50 to 100 countries, enabling the company to play a growing role in serving the rapidly increasing demand for better healthcare around the world. In 2019, Amgen invested more than $4 billion in research and development to advance numerous potential new medicines across all stages of our pipeline.
About Amgen K.K.
Amgen K.K. is a wholly owned Japanese affiliate of Amgen Inc., one of the largest independent biotechnology companies in the world. Amgen K.K., formerly Amgen Astellas BioPharma K.K., was established in October 2013 as joint venture between Amgen and Astellas, and changed its corporate name when it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Amgen. Under the mission, “To serve patients,” Amgen K.K. focuses on the development of innovative medicines, and addressing severe unmet medical needs of patients in Japan by bringing Amgen’s global pipelines, ranging from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, bone diseases through neurological diseases.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world’s largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.
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CONTACTS:
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Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (media)
Trish Rowland, 805-447-5631 (media)
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Amgen K.K. (Tokyo)
Corporate Affairs
Toyoko Endo, +81 3 5293 9694 (media)
Tsuneyoshi Toyoshima, +81 3 4563 8610 (media)
SOURCE Amgen
