Amgen ends partnership with AstraZeneca on inflammation drug

(Reuters) – Amgen Inc said it will terminate a collaboration with AstraZeneca Plc to develop an inflammation drug after it observed suicidal thoughts in the subjects of a trial.

AstraZeneca could decide on the development and marketing of the drug for all territories, except for Japan and certain Asian territories, where Kyowa Hakko Kirin has the rights to it, Amgen said.

Amgen said such safety concerns would likely result in a restrictive label, potentially limiting the number of patients using the drug.

Two late-stage studies evaluating the drug, brodalumab, for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis were started in 2014. It was also being tested for treatment of other inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and spondyloarthritis.

Research firm ISI Group last year forecast annual peak sales of about $2 billion for the drug.

Brodalumab belongs to a class of drugs called IL-17 inhibitors that work by blocking a signaling pathway that plays a key role in inducing and promoting inflammatory diseases.

Amgen and AstraZeneca partnered in April 2012 to develop and market brodalumab and four other drugs from Amgen’s inflammation portfolio.

Amgen’s shares closed at $163.58 on the Nasdaq on Friday while AstraZeneca’s shares closed at $69.45 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Amrutha Penumudi in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian)

• Amgen Inc
• AstraZeneca Plc
• inflammation