Two Biotechs Win Amgen Golden Tickets

Amgen Inc., with the help of San Francisco-based MBC BioLabs, has awarded the Amgen Golden Ticket to two biotherapeutic companies, Regencor Inc. and Nitrome Biosciences, according to a statement from Amgen. The Thousand Oaks biotech company’s golden ticket includes priority admission or renewal for one year of lab space, access to core facilities at the MBC BioLabs life sciences incubator and connections to Amgen executives. Amgen has sponsored MBC BioLabs since 2016, assisting high-potential and innovative early-stage life science and biotech companies. Bay Area-based Regencor focuses on developing a new therapy to regenerate the human heart after a heart attack. Nitrome, headquartered in Jackson, Wyo., is developing drugs to treat neurogenerative and age-related diseases like Parkinson’s. “(They) are doing extraordinary work in these therapeutic areas and funding such early-stage innovation is critical,” Saptarsi Haldar, vice president of research at Amgen South San Francisco, said in a statement. “We are happy to support their efforts as they tackle complex research problems and work to resolve unmet medical needs. Congratulations to both companies and to the promising scientific entrepreneurs that represent them.” Shares of Amgen (AMGN) closed Wednesday down $1.27, or a fraction of a percent, to $183.17 on the Nasdaq.