Amgen and Neumora Therapeutics Announce Strategic R&D Collaboration to Accelerate Novel Precision Therapies for Brain Diseases

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Oct. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and Neumora Therapeutics, Inc. (Neumora), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering precision medicines for brain diseases, announced a strategic collaboration to advance neuroscience discovery, development and commercialization. The companies will collaborate on programs by applying Neumora's proprietary precision neuroscience platform to insights generated by Amgen's deCODE genetics and human data research capabilities. In addition, Neumora has received a $100 million equity investment from Amgen and acquired exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize Amgen programs targeting casein kinase 1 delta and glucocerebrosidase for neurodegenerative diseases.

Neumora leverages proprietary multimodal capabilities and technologies to integrate advanced computational data science with R&D to increase the probability of success of drug development in brain diseases. Neumora's precision neuroscience platform focuses on the creation of Data Biopsy Signatures^™ to deconvolve the complex systems that drive brain diseases and connect the signatures to clinically meaningful measures to inform the development of therapeutics for an enriched patient population, or Precision Phenotypes^™. 

Amgen's deCODE genetics subsidiary is a global leader in analyzing and understanding human health and disease and has been at the forefront of the analysis of human data to enhance drug discovery and development. By leveraging these platform technologies and the complementary capabilities of both companies, the collaboration aims to discover unique and unprecedented insights into brain diseases across neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, including schizophrenia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ultimately leading to effective therapeutics targeted at patients most likely to respond to treatment.

"Our collaboration with Neumora leverages both our unique capabilities from deCODE and Neumora's focus and expertise in brain diseases to discover and develop potentially best-in-class precision therapies," said David M. Reese, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. "Although Amgen is not currently engaged in neuroscience research and early development internally, this approach addresses our commitment to remain engaged in neuroscience through external collaborations, and we are excited to work with Neumora to propel R&D for brain diseases into the future and advance promising new medicines."

"This partnership with Amgen underscores the vast potential of precision drug development for brain diseases; insights generated by deCODE will further enhance Neumora's data-driven precision medicine approach," said Paul L. Berns, co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer at Neumora. "We are also excited to expand our pipeline with potential best-in-class programs targeting casein kinase 1 delta and glucocerebrosidase for neurodegenerative diseases. Neumora is poised to become a pioneer in precision drug development for brain diseases and we look forward to working with Amgen to advance promising new medicines for patients in need of better treatment options."

About deCODE Genetics
Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, deCODE is a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using its unique expertise in human genetics combined with growing expertise in transcriptomics and population proteomics and vast amount of phenotypic data, deCODE has discovered risk factors for dozens of common diseases and provided key insights into their pathogenesis. The purpose of understanding the genetics of disease is to use that information to create new means of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. deCODE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amgen.

About Neumora
Neumora Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision medicines for brain diseases through the integration of data science and neuroscience. Neumora is redefining neuroscience research and development with a data-driven precision neuroscience platform to cut through brain disease heterogeneity to match the right patient populations to targeted therapeutics. The Company's precision data science platform integrates multiple data types to define patient subtypes through the development of Data Biopsy Signatures™ and Precision Phenotypes™. Neumora is relentless in its commitment to discovering, developing and commercializing targeted therapies for people living with brain diseases. The Company has operations in the Greater Boston Area and South San Francisco. For additional information, please visit www.neumoratx.com and follow us on Twitter: @NeumoraTx.  

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. 

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd., Neumora Therapeutics, Inc., Kyowa-Kirin Co., Ltd., or any collaboration to manufacture therapeutic antibodies against COVID-19), the performance of Otezla^® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), or the Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. acquisition, as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Amgen's business, outcomes, progress, or effects relating to studies of Otezla as a potential treatment for COVID-19, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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CONTACT:
Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (media)
Trish Rowland, 805-447-5631 (media)
Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (investors)

Neumora, Watertown
Katie Engleman, [email protected]

SOURCE Amgen

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