AMGEN & TAKEDA

[BIZ/LIFE-SCI: Aachen, February 4]
The world’s biggest biotech business Amgen and Japan’s Takeda pharmaceutical company have concluded a deal worth a billion dollars in pharmaceutical research, which will improve Takeda’s position on the Japanese market. Amgen is selling the Japanese rights of 13 experimental therapies to Takeda in a deal which is expected to be worth more than USD 1bn. Takeda is putting up USD 200m initially and contributing USD 340m to worldwide research costs. This is a major development in the biologics market. It also includes USD 360m in milestone payments and a deal to acquire Amgen KK which is Amgen’s Japanese subsidiary.

On another front, Takeda has decided to partner Amgen on the Motesanib cancer drug, paying initially USD 100m and USD 175m in a schedule of later payment. Amgen announced plans to license out some of its drugs last summer when sales dropped and now it’s launching its first cost-cutting move which is extremely interesting from the point of view of Amgen.
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