AMGEN TO ACQUIRE CHEMOCENTRYX FOR $4 BILLION IN CASH
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TAVNEOS is an orally administered selective complement component 5a receptor inhibitor. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2021 as an adjunctive treatment for adult patients with severe active ANCA-associated vasculitis, specifically granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) (the two main forms of ANCA-associated vasculitis), in combination with standard therapy.
ANCA-associated vasculitis is an umbrella term for a group of multi-system autoimmune diseases with small vessel inflammation. Inflamed vessels may rupture or become occluded giving rise to a broad array of clinical symptoms and signs related to a systemic inflammatory response which may result in profound injury and dysfunction in the kidneys, lungs and other organs.
Amgen is a leader in inflammation and nephrology. The company’s inflammation portfolio includes Otezla®, ENBREL®, TEZSPIRE®, AMGEVITA™ (a biosimilar to HUMIRA®), RIABNI™ (a biosimilar to Rituxan®), and AVSOLA® (a biosimilar to REMICADE®). Amgen’s pipeline includes four innovative Phase 2 inflammation medicines – efavaleukin alpha for systemic lupus erythematosus and ulcerative colitis, ordesekimab for celiac disease, rocatinlimab for atopic dermatitis and rozibafusap alfa for systemic lupus erythematosus – as well as ABP 654, a biosimilar to STELARA® that is in Phase 3 development. Amgen’s nephrology portfolio includes EPOGEN®, Aranesp®, Parsabiv® and Sensipar®.
U.S. sales of TAVNEOS in the first quarter of 2022, the first full quarter of sales, were $5.4 million. TAVNEOS is also approved in major markets outside the U.S., including the European Union and Japan. Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd. will retain exclusive rights to commercialize TAVNEOS outside the U.S., except in Japan where Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. holds commercialization rights and Canada where Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical holds commercialization rights.
In addition to TAVNEOS, ChemoCentryx has three early-stage drug candidates that target chemoattractant receptors in other inflammatory diseases and an oral checkpoint inhibitor for cancer.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by each company’s board of directors. The transaction is subject to ChemoCentryx stockholder approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Amgen management will comment further on the ChemoCentryx transaction on its Q2 earnings call today.
PJT Partners acted as financial advisor to Amgen and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as its legal advisor. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to ChemoCentryx, and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as its legal advisor.
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
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