AMGEN INVESTS IN VIACELL $20 MILLION TO SPEED UP STEM-CELL THERAPY.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer THOUSAND OAKS Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. - Biotechnology giant Amgen Inc. will invest $20 million in ViaCell Inc. as part of a licensing agreement that could lead to stem-cell treatments for cancer and neurological diseases Noun 1. neurological disease - a disorder of the nervous system nervous disorder, neurological disorder disorder, upset - a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning; "the doctor prescribed some medicine for the disorder"; . ViaCell officials said Wednesday that the all-stock deal will help the Boston-based company propel its pipeline forward as stem-cell therapy garners support from companies like Amgen. In 2002, Thousand Oaks-based Amgen granted ViaCell the rights to Stem Cell Factor stem cell factor n. A cytokine that promotes the differentiation and growth of hematopoietic stem cells into other types of cells. , a substance that stimulates the growth of stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young . ``When you think about validating opportunities, you can't think of a better validator than Amgen,'' said Marc Beer, chief executive officer of ViaCell. ``The idea is that it's not only good for the company, but hopefully because of this deal we will be able to get stem-cell therapy to patients sooner.'' Stem-cell therapy has generated controversy as human embryos have been used to extract the cells. Beer said ViaCell differs in that the company utilizes umbilical umbilical /um·bil·i·cal/ (um-bil´i-k'l) pertaining to the umbilicus. um·bil·i·cal adj. 1. Of or relating to the navel. 2. Relating to the umbilical region of the abdomen. chords to collect the cells. For Amgen, stem-cell treatments have not been a primary focus for the company. The ViaCell agreement allows Amgen, often criticized for not having enough drugs in development, to broaden its portfolio, said Adam Walsh, analyst with Jefferies & Company Inc. in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . ``This is an example of Amgen striking partnerships with earlier-stage companies to bolster its pipeline,'' Walsh said. ``But when you consider the amount Amgen is investing in ViaCell, it's a mere blip for the company.'' In a similar vein, Amgen entered into a $125 million drug discovery deal with Tularik last spring. San Francisco-based Tularik is studying the growth of cancer. Amgen shares declined 18 cents to close at $61.79 Wednesday on the Nasdaq market. Evan Pondel, (818) 713-3662 evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com |
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