Amgen announces $13.4bn acquisition of Celgene psoriasis treatment

Amgen has entered into an agreement with Celgene to acquire worldwide rights to Otezla (apremilast), the only oral, non-biologic treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, for $13.4 billion.

In an announcement yesterday, August 26, Amgen said the acquisition of Otezla will give it IP exclusivity over the product through to at least 2028 in the US, complementing its existing inflammation franchise of biologics and biosimilar products.

Additionally, it said the worldwide rights “fit well with Amgen’s international presence and global expansion objectives”.

Robert Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen, said the acquisition fits squarely within Amgen’s portfolio and complements a number of its products.

"We will take advantage of our 20 years of experience in inflammatory disease to realize the full global potential of Otezla as an affordable option for patients with these serious, chronic inflammatory conditions,” Bradway said.

Otezla is currently approved for three indications in the US: the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy; adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis; and adult patients with oral ulcers associated with Behçet's disease, a type of inflammatory disorder.

The treatment is also approved in more than 50 markets outside the US, including the EU and Japan.

In 2018, sales of Otezla were $1.6 billion.

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