Alcon, Amgen to collaborate on treatments for eye diseases

New York, April 24 - Alcon, Inc. and Amgen Inc. announced a "broad, multi-target" collaboration to develop therapeutics for the treatment of eye diseases.

The two companies will jointly develop and commercialize candidates for ophthalmic therapies.

Amgen will provide existing and future molecules that may potentially be useful in the field and will have the option to co-promote collaboration products.

Alcon will lead clinical development and commercialization activities for molecules jointly selected by the companies.

Amgen will grant Alcon an exclusive license within the field of ophthalmology for product candidates resulting from the collaboration but will retain rights for all non-ophthalmic uses.

"This agreement is an important step for Alcon that reflects the continued success of our strategic initiative to increase our access to the building blocks of future ophthalmic medicines," said Cary Rayment, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alcon, in a news release.

"Amgen has an extensive pipeline of new compounds that is of great interest to Alcon and this collaboration has the potential to lead to novel treatments for eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, allergy and dry eye."

"Alcon has broad capabilities to explore the utility of our molecules in diseases of the eye and to commercialize eye care products that may come from this collaboration," said Roger M. Perlmutter, executive vice president, research and development, at Amgen. "We are optimistic that together, Amgen and Alcon can create innovative therapies that will provide meaningful benefits to patients."

Alcon is based in Fort Worth, Texas, Amgen in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

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