THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 4, 2005--Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), a leading human therapeutics company in the biotechnology industry, today announced that David R. Parkinson, M.D., formerly vice president and head of Global Clinical Oncology, will assume a new role as vice president, Oncology Development and Commercialization.

In this new position, Parkinson will join Amgen´s most senior executives as a member of the Pipeline Steering Committee, and will develop strategic approaches to the development and commercialization of new therapeutics. In addition, Parkinson will represent Amgen in a number of settings, including as a liaison with government and regulatory agencies on policy level discussions, and in interactions with patient advocacy groups, extramural cooperative groups directing clinical trials, and the financial community. Parkinson will report to Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president, Research and Development.

"David is an internationally recognized figure in cancer care who has brought to Amgen a wealth of experience in drug development," said Perlmutter. "In his new role, David will assist in integrating all of Amgen´s oncology development activities, including expansion of our supportive care products, as well as the strategic evolution of our therapeutic pipeline that now includes eight targeted agents in ongoing clinical trials."

Parkinson joined Amgen in 2003 as vice president and head of Global Clinical Oncology. Prior to joining Amgen, Parkinson was global head, Translational Development at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation. In addition, he was a member of its Oncology Business Unit Executive Committee.

A native of Canada, Parkinson received his medical degree from the University of Toronto. He pursued clinical training at the Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, and at Tufts - New England Medical Center, where he was an assistant professor and an attending physician. Before joining Novartis, Parkinson spent two years at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and then joined the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program at the National Cancer Institute, where he also served as a member of the Biologics Evaluation Committee at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Amgen´s Oncology Therapeutic Area has grown significantly over the past two years under Parkinson´s leadership. To support that growth, Amgen is dividing the Oncology Therapeutic Area into two groups--Supportive Care and Therapeutics, each with a separate leader and dedicated focus. Roy Baynes, M.D., Ph.D., previously senior director, Medical Affairs--Oncology TA, has been promoted to vice president, Oncology--Supportive Care, and David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., previously director, Medical Sciences, has been promoted to senior director, Oncology--Therapeutics.

Baynes received his medical degree and a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Before joining Amgen in 2002, Baynes was the Charles Martin Professor of Cancer Research and director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program, the Stem Cell Biology Program, the JP McCarthy Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Bank and the Hematological Malignancies Multidisciplinary Clinic at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, an NCI designated comprehensive cancer center, at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

Chang obtained his undergraduate degree in Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his medical degree and doctorate in Biophysics at Stanford University in California. Prior to joining Amgen in 2002, Chang was an associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science´s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people´s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

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CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Mary Klem, 805-447-4587 (media) Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (investors) SOURCE: Amgen