THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and
WATERTOWN, Mass., Oct. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen
(NASDAQ: AMGN) and Neumora Therapeutics, Inc. (Neumora), a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering precision
medicines for brain diseases, announced a strategic collaboration
to advance neuroscience discovery, development and
commercialization. The companies will collaborate on programs by
applying Neumora's proprietary precision neuroscience platform to
insights generated by Amgen's deCODE genetics and human data
research capabilities. In addition, Neumora has received a
$100 million equity investment from
Amgen and acquired exclusive global rights to develop and
commercialize Amgen programs targeting casein kinase 1 delta and
glucocerebrosidase for neurodegenerative diseases.
Neumora leverages proprietary multimodal capabilities and
technologies to integrate advanced computational data science with
R&D to increase the probability of success of drug development
in brain diseases. Neumora's precision neuroscience platform
focuses on the creation of Data Biopsy Signatures™ to
deconvolve the complex systems that drive brain diseases and
connect the signatures to clinically meaningful measures to inform
the development of therapeutics for an enriched patient population,
or Precision Phenotypes™.
Amgen's deCODE genetics subsidiary is a global leader in
analyzing and understanding human health and disease and has been
at the forefront of the analysis of human data to enhance drug
discovery and development. By leveraging these platform
technologies and the complementary capabilities of both companies,
the collaboration aims to discover unique and unprecedented
insights into brain diseases across neuropsychiatric and
neurodegenerative diseases, including schizophrenia and amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS), ultimately leading to effective
therapeutics targeted at patients most likely to respond to
treatment.
"Our collaboration with Neumora leverages both our unique
capabilities from deCODE and Neumora's focus and expertise in brain
diseases to discover and develop potentially best-in-class
precision therapies," said David M.
Reese, M.D., executive vice president of Research and
Development at Amgen. "Although Amgen is not currently engaged
in neuroscience research and early development internally, this
approach addresses our commitment to remain engaged in
neuroscience through external collaborations, and we are excited to
work with Neumora to propel R&D for brain diseases into the
future and advance promising new medicines."
"This partnership with Amgen underscores the vast potential of
precision drug development for brain diseases; insights generated
by deCODE will further enhance Neumora's data-driven precision
medicine approach," said Paul L.
Berns, co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer at
Neumora. "We are also excited to expand our pipeline with potential
best-in-class programs targeting casein kinase 1 delta and
glucocerebrosidase for neurodegenerative diseases. Neumora is
poised to become a pioneer in precision drug development for brain
diseases and we look forward to working with Amgen to advance
promising new medicines for patients in need of better treatment
options."
About deCODE Genetics
Based in Reykjavik,
Iceland, deCODE is a global leader
in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using its unique
expertise in human genetics combined with growing expertise in
transcriptomics and population proteomics and vast amount of
phenotypic data, deCODE has discovered risk factors for dozens of
common diseases and provided key insights into their pathogenesis.
The purpose of understanding the genetics of disease is to use that
information to create new means of diagnosing, treating and
preventing disease. deCODE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Amgen.
About Neumora
Neumora Therapeutics, Inc. is a
clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision medicines
for brain diseases through the integration of data science and
neuroscience. Neumora is redefining neuroscience research and
development with a data-driven precision neuroscience platform to
cut through brain disease heterogeneity to match the right patient
populations to targeted therapeutics. The Company's precision data
science platform integrates multiple data types to define patient
subtypes through the development of Data Biopsy Signatures™ and
Precision Phenotypes™. Neumora is relentless in its commitment to
discovering, developing and commercializing targeted therapies for
people living with brain diseases. The Company has operations in
the Greater Boston Area and
South San Francisco. For
additional information, please visit www.neumoratx.com and
follow us on Twitter: @NeumoraTx.
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 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 one of the world's leading
independent biotechnology companies, 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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements that are based on the current
expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than
statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed
forward-looking statements, including any statements on the
outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential
collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd.,
Neumora Therapeutics, Inc., Kyowa-Kirin Co., Ltd., or any
collaboration to manufacture therapeutic antibodies against
COVID-19), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast)
(including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of
non-GAAP EPS accretion), or the Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc.
acquisition, as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins,
capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected
legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or
practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices,
reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or
other widespread health problems such as the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic on Amgen's business, outcomes, progress, or effects
relating to studies of Otezla as a potential treatment for
COVID-19, and other such estimates and
results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks
and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully
described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed
by Amgen, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and
any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on
Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this
information as of the date of this press release and does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in this document as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual
results may differ materially from those Amgen projects. Amgen's
results may be affected by its ability to successfully market both
new and existing products domestically and internationally,
clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future
products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition
from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays
in manufacturing its products and global economic conditions. In
addition, sales of Amgen's products are affected by pricing
pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies
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insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by
regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and
international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost
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marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation
by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. Amgen or
others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing
problems with its products, including its devices, after they are
on the market. Amgen's business may be impacted by government
investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In
addition, Amgen's business may be impacted by the adoption of new
tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If Amgen
fails to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity
agreement between Amgen and the U.S. government, Amgen could become
subject to significant sanctions. Further, while Amgen routinely
obtains patents for its products and technology, the protection
offered by its patents and patent applications may be challenged,
invalidated or circumvented by its competitors, or Amgen may fail
to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation.
Amgen performs a substantial amount of its commercial manufacturing
activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depends on third parties
for a portion of its manufacturing activities, and limits on supply
may constrain sales of certain of its current products and product
candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public
health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental
effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a
significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for Amgen's
manufacturing activities, the distribution of Amgen's products, the
commercialization of Amgen's product candidates, and Amgen's
clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material
adverse effect on Amgen's product development, product sales,
business and results of operations. Amgen relies on collaborations
with third parties for the development of some of its product
candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of its
commercial products. In addition, Amgen competes with other
companies with respect to many of its marketed products as well as
for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or
identification of new product candidates or development of new
indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement
from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no
guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a
new indication for an existing product will be successful and
become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical
devices and component parts for Amgen's products are supplied by
sole third-party suppliers. Certain of Amgen's distributors,
customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their
dealings with Amgen. The discovery of significant problems with a
product similar to one of Amgen's products that implicate an entire
class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of
the affected products and on its business and results of
operations. Amgen's efforts to collaborate with or acquire other
companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations
of companies or to support the products or technology Amgen has
acquired, may not be successful. A breakdown, cyberattack or
information security breach could compromise the confidentiality,
integrity and availability of Amgen's systems and Amgen's data.
Amgen's stock price may be volatile and may be affected by a number
of events. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks
that affect Amgen's business. Amgen's business performance could
affect or limit the ability of the Amgen Board of Directors to
declare a dividend or its ability to pay a dividend or repurchase
its common stock. Amgen may not be able to access the capital and
credit markets on terms that are favorable to it, or at all.
CONTACT:
Amgen, Thousand
Oaks
Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (media)
Trish Rowland, 805-447-5631
(media)
Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060
(investors)
Neumora, Watertown
Katie Engleman,
katie@1abmedia.com
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