November 1, 2019 PR-M10-19-NI-048
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) announced today that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with BeiGene that will significantly accelerate Amgen's plans to expand its oncology presence in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. BeiGene is a research-based, oncology-focused biotechnology company with an established and highly experienced team in China, including a 700-person commercial organization and a 600-person clinical development organization.
"This strategic collaboration with BeiGene will enable Amgen to serve significantly more patients by expanding our presence in the world's most populous country," said Robert A. Bradway, Amgen's chairman and chief executive officer. "Cancer is a leading cause of death in China and will only become a more pressing public health issue as the Chinese population ages. With its extensive commercial and clinical capabilities within China and a commitment to global quality standards, BeiGene is the ideal strategic collaborator as we seek to make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of cancer patients in China and around the world."
As part of the collaboration:
Since 2011, Amgen has expanded its geographic presence from approximately 50 to 100 countries, enabling the company to play a growing role in serving the rapidly increasing demand for better healthcare around the world. The pharmaceutical market in China is expected to grow briskly as access to new medicines continues to improve. With approximately four million people diagnosed with cancer annually and 2.3 million deaths from the disease each year, the need for new oncology treatments in China is particularly acute and the oncology market is one of the fastest-growing segments of the overall pharmaceutical market there.
Amgen will purchase its equity stake in BeiGene with available cash and expects to retain its investment grade credit rating.
"Amgen's capital allocation priorities remain unchanged," said David W. Meline, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Amgen. "We will continue to grow our business through internal investment and business development, while providing attractive returns to our shareholders through a growing dividend and continued share repurchases."
The transaction is expected to close in early 2020 subject to BeiGene shareholder approval, the expiration or termination of waiting periods under all applicable antitrust laws, and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor to Amgen.
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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.