Immunex

Immunex Corporation

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Biotechnology
Founded	1981
Founder	Steven Gillis, Christopher Henney, and others
Defunct	2002
Fate	Acquired by Amgen
Key people	Steven Gillis, Christopher Henney
Products	Enbrel, Leukine
Parent	Amgen

Immunex Corporation was a pioneering biotechnology company based in Seattle, Washington, known for its development of innovative therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer. Founded in 1981, Immunex became a leader in the biotechnology industry before being acquired by Amgen in 2002.

History

Immunex was founded by a group of scientists, including Steven Gillis and Christopher Henney, who were interested in the emerging field of immunology and its potential applications in medicine. The company initially focused on developing products that modulate the immune system to treat diseases.

In the 1990s, Immunex developed Enbrel (etanercept), a groundbreaking biologic drug used to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Enbrel became one of the first biologic therapies to be approved for these conditions and remains a significant treatment option today.

Products

Enbrel

Enbrel is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor that works by blocking the action of TNF, a substance in the body that causes inflammation in autoimmune diseases. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and later for other autoimmune conditions.

Leukine

Leukine (sargramostim) is a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that stimulates the production of white blood cells. It is used to accelerate recovery of bone marrow function following chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation.

Acquisition by Amgen

In 2002, Immunex was acquired by Amgen, a leading biotechnology company, for approximately $16 billion. This acquisition allowed Amgen to expand its portfolio of biologic therapies and gain access to Immunex's expertise in immunology.

Legacy

Immunex's contributions to the field of biotechnology, particularly in the development of biologic therapies for autoimmune diseases, have had a lasting impact on the industry. The success of Enbrel paved the way for the development of other biologic drugs and highlighted the potential of targeting specific components of the immune system to treat disease.

Also see

• Biotechnology
• Autoimmune disease
• Biologic therapy
• Amgen
• Rheumatoid arthritis