Amgen discovers good medicine Down Under23 April 2009The US biotech, Amgen, rates Australia as one of the top medical study locations outside the United States. One of the world’s largest biotechnology companies, Amgen has been running clinical trials in Australia for more than twenty years now. Of the global studies in which it participates, Amgen’s Australian subsidiary contributes ten per cent of clinical trial patients to the organisation’s worldwide research pool and has been instrumental in the development of a number of the company’s best-selling products. Ian Thompson, Amgen Australia’s Managing Director, said that the company reaps the benefits of being able to access Australia’s wide range of scientific talent, the country’s tight-knit network of biotechnology research organisations, and Australia’s excellent medical infrastructure. “Amgen has partnerships with Australian research institutes and universities which ensure that we can take advantage of leading-edge biotechnology research,” he said. “In return, we invest US$4 million in Australia each year in the form of research funds, fellowship grants and licensing agreements.” Read more |