Prime Minister opens Amgen European R&D centre
pharmafile | March 2, 2007 | News story | Research and Development |Â Â Â
Prime Minister Tony Blair has opened Amgen's new European Development Centre in Uxbridge, London.
The centre is the Californian biotech company's largest R&D investment outside the US and will accommodate more than 300 staff to support its expanding international clinical trial programme.
The Prime Minister said Amgen's investment was a strong endorsement of the UK's economy and its first-class research base.
"This move will further strengthen our world-leading capabilities in this area by providing highly skilled new jobs and delivering long-term benefits for patients and for the National Health Service," he added.
Alongside Amgen's existing UK research operations in Cambridge, the new centre will coordinate more than half of Amgen's European clinical trials.
Founded in 1980, Amgen's R&D success began with the cloning of the human erythropoietin gene (EPO) leading to the development of its anaemia product Epogen, the first of a series of blockbusters for the company.
In the past, its lack of presence outside the US saw the company develop product alliances, notably its co-marketing deal with Wyeth for rheumatoid arthritis blockbuster Enbrel.
Amgen now has 23 European facilities or subsidiaries and during 2007, its clinical programmes will expand to involve around 55,000 patients in more than 250 trials worldwide.
This R&D expansion is being driven by the company's strong product pipeline, which has more than 45 molecules in development and an annual R&D budget in excess of $3 billion.
Senior VP and international chief medical officer Dr Willard Dere said: "We chose London because of its excellent reputation for clinical research and pool of highly qualified and talented scientists.
"Amgen's mission is to serve patients, and Uxbridge has a vital role to play in ensuring the company fulfills this mission."
