When Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) purchased a vacant parcel of land in the heart of Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass. 25 years ago, the area was far from the thriving biotechnology hub it has since become. In 2001, Amgen, a biotechnology pioneer, completed construction of an eight-story, 297,000-square-foot facility on the site. Now one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, Amgen has expanded its presence in Cambridge and today hosted members of the Massachusetts life sciences community and government officials at its newly renovated research and process development facility.
The event commemorated the completion of a renovation featuring next-generation laboratories and offices, a process development scale-up laboratory visible from the exterior and an interactive lobby highlighting Amgen's science and patient stories. Amgen has invested approximately $100 million in the Cambridge facility since 2015, and more than 400 staff are based at the site.
"Amgen's state-of-the-art facility here in Cambridge exemplifies what it means to be at the cutting edge of biomedical research," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "Many of the ingredients you need to foster innovation are right here - talented people, the latest technology, and an environment conducive to advancing science. We chose Cambridge as one of our core research hubs because it is an environment with a thriving life sciences ecosystem that encourages innovation."
The site accommodates research scientists with expertise in therapeutic discovery, specifically within medicinal chemistry, molecular engineering and discovery attribute sciences. Process development scientists and engineers support product commercialization and the advancement of manufacturing innovation.
"Massachusetts is a global leader in technology, innovation, research and development because of the early investment and continued impact of companies like Amgen," said Governor Charles Baker. "We welcome Amgen's growth in Cambridge and the future healthcare advancements for patients around the world that will come of their updated state-of-the-art facility."
Amgen's neuroscience research group is based at the site, with efforts focused on migraine, analgesia, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists within the neuroscience therapeutic area in Cambridge support Amgen's migraine prevention clinical development program by investigating the cellular mechanism of action of the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) receptor, furthering the Company's understanding in this area.
"Amgen's ongoing commitment to Cambridge further strengthens Massachusetts' position as a global biosciences beacon," said Senator Edward Markey. "From helping to cure Alzheimer's to preventing migraine, the scientists and staff at Amgen will continue to discover and develop breakthroughs and medicines that will drive the life sciences for generations to come."
The new process development scale-up laboratory provides a dedicated space for staff to test cutting-edge technologies focused on next-generation biomanufacturing. The company embarked on developing an open environment setting, designed for staff to share and communicate ideas easier, to enable more efficient decision-making and to foster greater collaboration amongst staff and the surrounding life sciences community. The lobby showcases interactive, visual elements to describe Amgen's biology-first approach to understanding disease, and patient and research videos highlighting Amgen's focus in cardiovascular disease, oncology, bone health, neuroscience, nephrology and inflammation.
Since 2014, Amgen has entered into collaborations with LabCentral, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, as well as others.
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 pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.