Amgen and Kinemed agree neurodegenerative disease alliance

Amgen is allying with KineMed on a biomarker research project in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.

The collaboration will see Amgen apply KineMed's mass spectrometric dynamic proteomics platform to the study of brain protein homeostasis linked to neurodegenerative conditions, with the eventual aim of creating diagnostic tests.

KineMed’s biomarker platform will allow Amgen to track synthesis and clearance rates of pathogenic proteins in the brain that drive neurodegeneration among sufferers of ailments such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

Such conditions are characterised by an accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain and represent a significant health burden worldwide.

Dr Patrizia Fanara, vice-president of neuroscience at KineMed, said: "Diagnostic tests have not previously been available that reflect the underlying dynamics of the proteins believed to play a causal role in neurodegeneration."

This comes after Amgen announced the completion of its takeover of the cancer specialist Onyx Pharmaceuticals last week, in line with the company's wider growth strategy.