1. In Vivo
  2. >>Archive

Roche and Amgen Watched in Challenge over EPO

Published in May's RPM Report as "A CERA-ous Challenge to Amgen's EPO Franchise?" How serious is the follow-on biological challenge from Roche's CERA to Amgen Inc.'s $6 billion erythropoietin (Epogen) franchise? Serious enough to move Amgen from a growth favorite to a biotech bargain. Serious enough to threaten the ability of Amgen and Procrit manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Inc. to find new dollars in the EPO world market in 2009 and beyond.

How serious is the follow-on biological challenge from Roche 's CERA to Amgen Inc. 's $6 billion erythropoietin franchise? ►Serious enough to be a big factor in a prolonged anemic performance by Amgen's stock. Since the beginning of 2006, the company has lost about 15% of its market capitalization. It has moved from a growth favorite to a biotech bargain. ►Serious enough for the major investment firms following Amgen to haul out their patent law consultants to hold vigil over patent litigation between the two firms in anticipation of an 18-month round of legal maneuvering. ►Serious enough to rank number one on Amgen's list of "Key Investor Issues" in recent company presentations. ►Serious enough to threaten the ability of Amgen and Procrit manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Inc. to find new dollars in the EPO world market in 2009 and beyond.

Amgen clearly will not cede the EPO field without a good multi-front fight—legal, political, regulatory and in the marketplace. In...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Archive

Final Chance To Have Your Say: Take Our Reader Survey This Week

 
• By Eleanor Malone

Editor’s note: This is your final call to participate in the survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. The deadline is 20 September.

Early Development Deals: Ipsen's Strategy For Biomarker-Driven Success

 
• By Eliza Slawther

Mary Jane Hinrichs, Ipsen’s head of early development, talks to In Vivo about getting ahead of the competition by securing deals for candidates before they enter Phase I trials.   

Shape Our Content: Take The Reader Survey

 
• By Eleanor Malone

Editor’s note: We are conducting a survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. If there are any changes you’d like to see in the coverage topics, content format or the method in which you receive and access In Vivo, or if you love it how it is, now is the time to have your voice heard.

Sponsored by:

Prioritizing Safety in CAR-T Therapy: Patient Monitoring with Cerba Research’s Testing Portfolio

The cell and gene therapy (CGT) clinical trial landscape in general and CAR-T cell clinical trials in particular are a special focus for the FDA, EMA, and other regulatory agencies. The whole industry is thus aware of the recent FDA safety investigation and requirements for labeling CAR therapy products.

More from In Vivo

‘A Small Medtech Industry Ecosystem With An Outsized Global Influence’

 
• By Ashley Yeo

Entrepreneurialism is in the blood of Israel’s medtech innovators, but in a changing medtech world, the local ecosystem must address funding gaps and manufacturing and infrastructure needs. So says Ruti Alon, experienced Israeli medtech leader, investor and co-chair of the Biomed Israel conference.

Dealmaking Quarterly Statistics, Q2 2025

 
• By Maureen Riordan and Deanna Kamienski

During Q2, biopharma merger and acquisition deal value reached $24.6bn and drew in $60.7bn in potential deal value from alliances. Device company M&A values reached $223m, while in vitro diagnostics and research tools players’ M&A activity totaled $802m.

PBMs Tighten The Reins: Value Becomes The New Access Gatekeeper

 
• By Andrew Cox

Facing rising costs and tighter regulations, PBMs and insurers are accelerating the shift to value-based drug coverage, demanding stronger proof of therapeutic and economic benefit from pharma.