View source for IP Profile of Biggest for-profit companies in BGP/BGP Company Profiles

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= Introduction = 

* UAEM Transparency Project <br>
* [[BGP Table of Biggest For-Profit Companies]]

=Abraxis BioScience=
* Headquarters in Los Angeles
* 383 employees (LinkedIn "Abraxis BioSciences")
* nab technology platform (Abraxis BioSciences, "About Us")
* Abraxan - treats metastatic breast cancer (Abraxis BioSciences, "About Us")
* Protosphere - patented nanoparticle technology
* Focus on cancer and heart treatments
* 2007 splits into two separate companies - Abraxis BioScience and Abraxis Pharmaceutical Products (Abraxis BioSciences, "Abraxis BioScience Announces Plan to Separate Into Two Independent Public Companies")
* 2009, 4th quarter loss despite high sales 
* 2009, spins off new company focusing on Biomarkers and Personalized medicine (Business Wire, "Abraxis BioScience Announces Plan")
* Others/Notes:
** List of publications (Abraxis BioSciences, "Publications")
** Partnership with UCLA's nanosystem's institute (Marcus, "UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute Partners With Abraxis BioScience")
** Collaboration with National Comprehensive Cancer Network and AstraZeneca to conduct anti-cancer drug studies (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, [http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=30925 "NCCN, Abraxis BioScience and AstraZeneca Announce Collaboration"])

=Amgen=
* Headquarters: Thousand Oaks, CA
* 16,900 employees (2008 Corporate report)
* [http://www.amgen.com/about/acquisitions.html History of acquisition]:
** 1994 - Synergen, Inc.
** 2000 - Kinetix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
** 2002 - Immunex Corporation
** 2004 - Tularik, Inc.
** 2006 - Abgenix, Inc.
** 2006 - Avidia, Inc.
** 2007 - Ilypsa, Inc.
** 2007 - Alantos Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.
* [http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Amgen-Inc-Company-History.html Subsidiaries]:
**Amgen Australia Pty Ltd.; 
** Amgen N.V.; Amgen Canada Inc.; 
**Amgen Greater China Ltd.; 
**Amgen GmbH (Germany); 
**Amgen S.A. (France); 
**Amgen S.p.A. (Italy); 
**Amgen K.K. (Japan); 
**Amgen B.V. (Netherlands); 
**Amgen-Biofarmaceutica (Portugal); 
**Amgen S.A. (Spain); 
**Amgen (Europe) AG (Switzerland); 
**Kirin-Amgen, Inc. (Switzerland); 
**Amgen Limited (U.K.); 
**Amgen Sales Corporation (West Indies).
* Unlike many biotech companies, has been consistently profitable. Net profit in 2006 was [http://www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/companyprofile.asp?guid=8632C7AC-1633-4198-8551-BB79570C668D US$2.9 Billion]
* [http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Amgen-Inc-Company-History.html History]: **Managed to turn itself from a drug research company into a pharmaceutical company while maintaining steady sales - extremely rare in the industry. 
** Founded in 1980. By 1986 was starting to turn a profit, but did so not through drug development but through research partnerships with established pharma firms
** 1987, develop erythropoietin (EPO), which stimulates red blood cell creation. Sold the marketing rights to Johnson&Johnson
** Epogen proves to hugely popular - over $250m in sales in 1991 alone
** Between 1992 and 1996, Amgen's R&D budget goes from $182 million to $663 million
* It has ten approved drugs for 15 conditions, 23 agents are being tested earlier in the approval pipeline as of 2009
** drugs include: Epogen, Aranesp, Enbrel, Kineret, Neulasta, Neupogen, Sensipar / Mimpara and Nplate
* As a [http://en.scientificcommons.org/40666678 side-result of this research, also publishes in academic journals] 
* Others/Notes:
** Amgen - marketing and R&D collaborations with (Powell pp. 72): ARRIS, Envirogen, Glycomex, Guilford, Interneuron, Regeneron, and Zynaxis. these companies develop the product that Amgen later produces and markets. Perhaps there are instances of commons-like sharing here. Further investigation needed
** Seems to be engaging in some instances of open-ended research with universities. e.g., [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Axys+-+Amgen+Collaboration+Determines+the+X-Ray+Crystal+Structure+of...-a053047665 collaboration with] [http://www.wi.mit.edu/ MIT's Whitehead institute]
** Further instances of academic collaboration [http://www.brighamandwomens.org/Pressreleases/PressRelease.aspx?PageID=201 here]
** The results of some scientific collaborations are being released into the  [http://en.scientificcommons.org/40666678 commons]
* It says its [http://switch.atdmt.com/action/deicrm_N53107Policy_6 committed to] sharing clinical testing results as soon as possible 

=Biogen Idec=
* Headquarters: Kendall Scquare, Cambridge
* from Wikipedia: commercial affiliates in "Germany, France, Spain/Portugal, UK/Ireland, the Benelux, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Austria"
* Research centers in San Diego and Research Triangle Park, N.C.
* Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and a treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which is co-marketed with Genentech
* Most revenue derived from Avonex, it's MS treatment
* 2003, Biogen and IDEC merge
* Others/Notes:
** Gives [http://www.biogenidec.com/site/community-relations.html] educational grants to med schools
** Sponsors [http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/health-care/biogen-idec-present-th-annual-citi-biotech-day/ "Citi Biotech Day"]
** Has US$100million venture capital fund to encourage Biotech research
** Cooperated with Genentech to research and produce lymphoma treatment
** Has the [http://www.biogenidec.com/site/biogen-idec-innovation-incubator.html Biogen Idec Innovation Incubator (bi3)], and has a history of buying start-ups ventures  
** Provides [http://www.biogenidec.com/citizenship_communitylab.html Student labs for high school students in Cambridge and San Diego] 


=Celgene=
* Headquarters: Summit, New Jersey
* ~1,300 employees (circa 2007)
* Thalomid, treats erythema nodosum leprosum ("ENL")
* Revlimid, for multiple myeloma
* Receives royalties from Novartis for production of Ritalin
* Also offers service: LifeBankUSA, a placental and cord bank holding (Celgene, "Products and Services")
* 1986, spun off from Celanese Corporation
* 1998, receives approval for Thalomid
* 2000, reaches licensing agreement with Novartis for producing Ritalin
* 2002, acquires Anthrogenesis Corporation
* 2005, approval for Revlimid (Celgene, "History")
* 2009, Celgene stocks are in decline (Seeking Alpha, "Celgene Breaking New Lows, But Hopefully Not Much Lower")
* 2009, reporting lower sales, apparently because of overall economic decline
* Others/Notes:
** Collaboration with Cornell Medical School (Weill Cornell Medical College, "Celgene Corporation and Weill Cornell Initiate Research Program")
** Research collaboration with Pharmacopeia (All Business, "Pharmacopeia achieves research milestone")
** Multi-year research collaboration with Galapagos (Laboratory Talk, "Celgene and Galapagos in target collaboration")
** research collaboration with AxCell BioSciences (Access My Library "AxCell Biosciences establishes research collaboration with Celgene Corp.")

=Cephalon=
* Headquarters: Frazer, PA
* 3,000 employees
* Leading product - Provigil, to treat sleep disorder
* Focus on Neurodegenerative diseases
* has acquired the following firms: CIMA Labs, Anesta, and Laboratoire Lafon
* Founded in 1987, CEO Frank Baldino, Jr., Ph.D
* Failure of neurodegenerative treatment in 1992 - discovered that the drug kept mice awake, turned it into Provigil in 1999 (Cephalon, "Our Story")
* 2008, sales of US$1.943 billion
* 2008 - Treanda - treatment for non-hodgkin's lymphoma - approved and launched
* Stock has posted double-digit earnings this year (Bennett "It's Wake-Up Time for a Drug Maker's Shares")
* 2009 - seeks approval for Nuvigil to treat Jet Lag (Kennedy, "Cephalon To Apply For FDA Approval For Nuvigil For Jet Lag")
* 2009 - studies suggest Nuvigil could also be used to treat Bipolar Depression (Medical News Today, "Cephalon Announces Positive Results From A Phase Two Study Of NUVIGIL In Bipolar Depression")
* 2009 - (unsubstantiated) gossip that Eli Lilly might consider purchasing Cephalon (Feuerstein, "What's on Lilly's Prescription Pad?") Further rumors of take-over: (Steven, "2 Potential Pharma M&A Targets: Cephalon and Genzyme")
* 2009 - bid to take over Australian biotech firm. Interest in its treatments for inflammatory diseases and cancer (Domain-B, "Cephalon opens bid for Aussie bio-technology firm Arana")
*Others/Notes:
** Interesting: Three areas for establishing collaborative studies (Cephalon, "Research Partnerships"):
*** Pre-clinical studies - has simple online form for obtaining Cephalon products for pre-clinical studies. Response within a month.
*** Cephalon-sponsored studies - can apply to work as an investigator in a Cephalon study 
*** Investigator Sponsored Studies (ISS) - investigator herself designs the trial, gets the regulatory approval, interprets and communicates the results. It appears that you just submit a proposal, and if approved, Cephalon will fund the study (Cephalon, "Going Further in Research")
** Foster business collaborations(Cephalon, "Business Collaboration")
** Negative test results are being used to further general research on Parkinson's disease (Cephalon, "Our Science")
** Corporate giving for health advocacy, science education, and community building in locations where Cephalon has offices (Cephalon, "Corporate Giving")
** 2006 - collaboration with Ambit Biosciences to research kinase inhibitors (B-Net, "Ambit Biosciences Announces Discovery and Development Collaboration with Cephalon, Inc. Focused on Kinase Inhibitors")
** Alzheimer's disease research collaboration with Scherring-Plough
** Collaboration with Abbott Laboratories to produce and develop Gabitril, an anti-epilepsy drug (PR Newswire, "Abbott Laboratories and Cephalon Sign Collaboration Agreement for Gabitril(R) (Tiagabine Hydrochloride) in the United States")

=Celera=

=Genentech=
* Headquarters: South San Francisco
* 11,000 employees ("Genentech," Wikipedia)
* Owned by Swiss pharma company Hoffman - La Roche ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoffmann-La_Roche Hoffman-La Rouche])
* synthetic human insulin was their first famous product, many others produced using the Boyer-Cohen rDNA process 
* [http://en.scientificcommons.org/genentech_inc Papers by] company employees
*Others/Notes:
** [http://www.apple.com/ca/press/2002/02/genentech.html Collaborated with Apple] to create Open Source search engine for protein and DNA sequences  called [http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/math_science/agblast.html Apple/Genentech BLAST]
** Hoffman-La Rouche is engaging in academic collaboration to study the safety of InnoMed PredTox ("Hoffman-La Rouche," Wikipedia)
* In general, this seems to be a company that [http://www.gene.com/gene/research/researchvision.html encourages its scientists to publish] 
** [http://en.scientificcommons.org/genentech_inc examples of papers] 
** [http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1614 Video of Genentech's Joe McCracken explaining incentives to publish]
** [http://www.gene.com/gene/research/researchvision.html It has four-year post-doctoral program] and also offers [http://www.gene.com/gene/pipeline/fellowship/ Clinical Research Fellowships] 
** [http://www.gene.com/gene/reagents-program/reagents-program.jsp Supplies reagents] for other research organizations' work
** [http://www.gene.com/gene/news/press-releases/press_statements/ps_122007.html Worked with] the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists to develop guidelines and answer questions about Avastin 
** Has a [http://www.gene.com/gene/research/resourceboard/ separate board] to advise the company on issues of scientific research 
** Company gives researchers 20% free time to work on projects of their own
** VP for business development [http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1613 says] the organization survives through science, not marketing.
** [http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/19205 Collaboration] with UC San Diego Scientists
** Funds undergraduate research programs through the [http://www.genentechfoundation.com/about_focus.html  Genentech Foundation]
** Provids [http://news.ucsf.edu/releases/new-ucsf-mission-bay-campus-countrys-largest-biomedical-university-expansio/ infrastructure support] for UCSF 
** [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2000/D/200003674.html Collaboration with Rockefeller University] to look at therapeutic antibody potency 

=Genzyme=
* Headquarter Cambridge
* 2007, US$2.89B operating income, $3.81B revenue ("Genzyme," Wikipedia)
* Cerezyme (treats Gaucher's disease) accounts for 30% of company's revenue 
* Renagel, for dialysis patients
* Fabrazyme, for Fabry's disease
* Other/Notes:
** Develops community support groups for victims of the diseases it treats, such as [http://www.fabrycommunity.com/en/ Fabry Community] and other at [http://www.genzyme.com/home/global_sites.asp Genzyme Disease Education/Research/Support Sites]
** Has established [https://www.lsdregistry.net/gaucherregistry/ for victims of Gaucher's disease] 
** All company-sponsored clinical trials registered [www.clinicaltrials.gov Clinical Trials] and at [http://www.genzymeclinicalresearch.com/ Genzyme Clinical Research]
** [http://www.genzyme.com/research/patents/pat_home.asp Partial catalog of researchers' publications] 
** Give [http://www.genzyme.com/commitment/community/grant_application.asp grants] for science education and health-services in local communities 
** [http://www.genzyme.com/corp/media/GENZ%20PR-042208.asp#TopOfPage Building outreach into China]. Will establish research center there by 2010. 

=Gilead Sciences=
* Headquarters: Foster City, California
* [http://www.gilead.com/corporate_fact_sheet 3,400 hundred employees] as of 2009
* Growth based in large part on acquisition of other companies
* Products for HIV/AIDS, respiratory and heart conditions, and liver disease
* Over a dozen drugs in the development pipeline, Phase I or later
* Acquisition history: 
** 1990 reaches agreement with Glaxo to research and develop "antisense" -- genetic code blockers
** Goes public in 1992
** 1996 - first commercial product, Vistide, treats cytomegalovirus
** 1999 - acquires NeXstar Pharmaceuticals
** 2003 acquires Triangle Pharmaceuticals
** 2006, FDA approves Atripla for HIV-victims
** 2006 acquires Corus Pharma, Inc.
** 2006 acquires Myogen, Inc.
** 2006 acquires Raylo Chemicals, a pharma producer - is Gilead Sciences trying to become a pharma company?
*Other/Notes:
** Gilead seems to have created an [http://www.gilead-grant.de/disclaimer.html HIV/AIDS Clinical Cooperation Grant]
** publishes the results of clinical trials
** Collaboration with [http://today.ucsf.edu/stories/gilead-sciences-and-gladstone-to-collaborate-on-hiv-targets/ UCSF on HIV targets]
** [http://www.gilead.com/access_developing_world Project to bring HIV/AIDS drugs to third-world]
* Foundation for bringing [http://www.gilead.com/Gilead_Foundation health care to under-served communities]

=ImClone Systems=
==Who==
* 1,100 employees (circa 2007) (Hoovers, "Imclone Systems Incorporated")
==What==
* focus on oncology
* Erbitux for colorectal cancer (FDA, "Erbitux")
==Where==
* Headquartered in New york City
==News==
* founded 1984 (Imclone Systems, "Company Overview")
* 1990's, shift in focus from infectious diseases to oncology
* 2001, monoclonal antibody Erbitux fails to get FDA approval. Stocks fell sharply - resulted in insider trading controversy 
* 2003, following insider trading crises, general reluctance to invest in the company
* 2006, Carl Icahn acquires majority of the stock, unseats most of board
* 2008, acquired by Eli Lilly
* 2009 ImClone purchase brings down Eli Lilly earnings
==Commons-Based, Peer-Production, and Open Access News==
* Grants for community development (ImClone Systems, "Imclone Grant Office")
* Collaboration with Merck to produce therapeutic cancer vaccines

=MedImmune=
==Who==
* ~3,000 employees (MedImmune, "Company Overview")
* Wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca, a Swedish Pharma company
==What==
* Produces Synagis, which treats respiratory infections in infants 
* Also produces FluMist, a nasal spray influenza vaccine
* Proprietary drug-development methods: Phage Display and Ribosome Display (MedImmune, "Drug Development") 
==Where==
* Gaithersburg, Maryland
==News==
* 2007, Astra Zeneca acquires MedImmune (Pollack, Andrew, "Five Days; Biotech Deal")
* 2007, Federal advisory panel endorses Flu Vaccine spray (Associated Press, "Panel Endorses Flu Vaccine In a Spray for Young Children")
* 2008, rapid expansion of the company (Murret, Patricia, "Big Gaithersburg biotech gets a boost")
==Commons-Based, Peer-Production, and Open Access News===
* Sponsors research abstract competition (MedImmune, "MedImmune Announces Winners of Third Annual Research Abstract Competition")
* Establishes research fellowships for pediatric health (MedImmune, "MedImmune Grants Five New Fellowships to Help Expand Premature Infant Follow-Up Care Research")
* Owns MedImmune Ventures, a VC firm to encourage research and investment in the field (MedImmune, " MedImmune Broadens Focus of Venture Capital Fund to Include New Therapeutic Areas")
* Has research collaborations with the following organizations: Burnham Institute, Medarex, Inc., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Micromet AG, Seattle Genetics, Inc., VasGene Therapeutics, Inc., and Xencor, Inc. (MedImmune, "R&D Collaborations")
** Collaboration with Medarex, Inc. to develop drugs for treating autoimmune diseases
** jointly developing treatment for B cell Tumors with Micromet AG 
** agreement with Seattle Genetics, Inc. to use it antibody-drug conjugate treatment
* Developing treatment for cervical cancer with GlaxoSmith-Kline (MedImmune, "Strategic Alliances")

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