Defending Your Life: Sharer and Perlmutter On Amgen’s R&D Strategy

Since joining Amgen in 2000 and 2001, respectively, CEO Kevin Sharer and Exec VP-R&D Roger Perlmutter, have been the frontmen for the firm's aggressive approach to drug research and development - which has had some spectacular results. During the Aug. 15 call detailing the restructuring plan to analysts, the duo was asked about Amgen's ramp-up of R&D in 2006 and generally about R&D productivity. Their answers provide perspective on the feeling surrounding the need to cut back on the area where Amgen has taken such a lead in the industry, on the unique difficulties of being a biotech giant, and on Amgen's performance compared to its closest competitor - Genentech.