“We are very excited at the prospect of collaborating with a well-respected organisation like AstraZeneca to advance our inflammation pipeline. We believe this collaboration has the potential to bring more therapies to patients sooner, across more geographic areas,” Kevin Sharer, chairman and CEO of Amgen, said in a press release. “We are impressed with AstraZeneca’s extensive experience in developing and launching products in the respiratory and gastroenterology areas, and believe this collaboration is an opportunity to work with a partner that has leading regulatory and commercial expertise in inflammation indications.”  

 

The agreement will focus on the development of AMG 139, AMG 157, AMG 181, AMG 557 and AMG 827, or brodalumab. Amgen and AstraZeneca consider all the molecules to have novel profiles and potential in multiple indications across the field of inflammatory diseases.  

 

Brodalumab is being studied for the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and asthma. AMG 139 is currently being investigated as a treatment for Crohn’s disease, with possible applications for treating psoriasis. AMG 181 is under investigation for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, while AMG 557 is being studied as a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. AMG 157 is being studied in Phase Ib trials as a potential treatment for asthma.

 

AstraZeneca will lead development and commercialization of AMG 139, 157 and 181, while Amgen will lead development and commercialization for the other two compounds, with each lead under the oversight of joint governing bodies. Commercial promotion will be split between the two in terms of brodalumab, with Amgen promoting in dermatological indications in the United States and Canada and rheumatology indications in the United States, Canada and Europe. AstraZeneca will promote in respiratory and, initially, dermatology indications across all territories outside of the United States, Canada, and other markets in which Amgen has existing partnerships. Promotion rights for other markets, indications and molecules will be determined at a later date.  

 

“We are delighted to join forces with Amgen in developing and commercializing these novel clinical-stage assets that add value to our pipeline and build on our expertise in biologics,” David Brennan, CEO of AstraZeneca, said in a press release. “This creative collaboration will make the most of both companies’ respective capabilities, including AstraZeneca’s extensive global reach, to help bring these potentially innovative treatment options for a variety of respiratory and inflammatory diseases to patients around the world.”