A hormone isolated from thousands of litres of urine helped lay the foundations of Amgen. How did that scientific breakthrough become a pharmaceutical giant?
Deeya and Rohan trace Amgen’s history, from its founding and the discovery of erythropoietin to the blockbuster drugs and acquisitions that transformed the business. We explore Epogen and Neupogen, the consequential Johnson & Johnson partnership, and the Immunex acquisition that brought Enbrel into the company.
Along the way, we examine EPO’s safety reckoning, the science behind newer medicines like Repatha, and how drug pricing, insurance and pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) shape what patients pay. This is a story about biotechnology, entrepreneurship and the challenge of turning great science into a lasting business.
Follow Good Pharma for the stories behind the companies and medicines shaping healthcare.
00:00 Introduction
02:34 The Origins of EPO
06:21 Founding Amgen
15:58 The EPO Breakthrough
19:53 The Deals That Saved Amgen
28:17 Building the Blockbuster Business
39:29 The Immunex Acquisition
43:32 The EPO Reckoning
49:02 The Next Generation of Medicines
52:47 The Business of Drug Pricing
59:02 Amgen Today
01:01:45 Lessons from Amgen
