Amgen, fresh from completing its acquisition of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, says that third-quarter revenues increased 10% to $4.75 billion, while net income rose 24% to $1.37 million.
The rise was helped by Amgen’s white blood cell stimulators Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) and Neupogen (filgrastim). The former brought in $1.14 billion, up 9% while Neupogen soared 50% to $466 million, thanks to a $155 million order from the US government.
The anti-inflammatory Enbrel (etanercept), partnered with Pfizer and sold by Amgen in North America, increased 7% to $1.16 billion, while Sensipar/Mimpara (cinacalcet), for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients, also rose 7% to $259 million.
Sales of the anaemia drug Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) were down 10% to $449 million, though Amgen's older erythropoiesis stimulating agent, Epogen (epoetin alfa) was flat at $491 million. The colorectal cancer drug Vectibix (panitumumab) increased 22% to $107 million, while Nplate (romiplostim), for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, increased 216% to $106 million.
Sales of Prolia (denosumab) for the treatment of postmenopausal women at increased risk of osteoporotic fractures, reached $178 million, up 62%, while Xgeva (also denosumab) for the treatment of bone metastases to reduce skeletal related events in patients with cancer, climbed 30% to $261 million. The multiple myeloma drug Kyprolis (carfilzomib), acquired through the $10.4 billion Onyx buy, grew 6% from the second quarter to $65 million
Amgen's pipeline is also looking pretty healthy, led by the cholesterol drug, evolocumab. The world's biggest biotech announced that all of the Phase III lipid-lowering studies of the much-touted PCSK9 inhibitor have completed enrollment and the data are expected in the first quarter of 2014. Other drugs in late-stage studies include trebananib for ovarian cancer and brodalumab for psoriasis, while a Phase III trial in patents with psoriasis has begun for Amgen's biosimilar of AbbVie's blockbuster Humira (adalimumab).
Acquires Roche’s filgrastim rights
Just before the results came out, Amgen noted that it has acquired Roche's rights to Neupogen and Neulasta in 100 markets.
The Swiss major has held the rights to the drugs under licence from the Kirin-Amgen Japanese joint venture Japan since 1989, covering Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Financial terms have not been disclosed but the franchise generated $200 million in sales in these territories in 2012.
Amgen chief executive Robert Bradway said the transaction "will allow us to build experience and capacity in countries that will be important in accelerating future growth of Amgen's pipeline products".
