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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 imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private 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 containment. Furthermore, Amgen's research, testing, pricing, 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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