AMGEN TO BEGIN TRIAL OF DRUG FOR DIALYSIS PATIENTS

Amgen announced the initiation of the largest prospective, randomized clinical trial planned to date in patients with stage five chronic kidney disease (CKD). The trial, called the Evaluation of Cinacalcet Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE), is a Phase III international, clinical-outcomes study designed to determine whether cinacalcet HCl can effectively reduce the risk of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) and CKD undergoing maintenance dialysis. Cinalcalet HCl is marketed as Sensipar in the U.S., Canada and Australia and as Mimpara in the European Union.

The decision to initiate EVOLVE came after analysis of four pooled, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials that showed treatment with cinacalcet HCl in patients with secondary HPT and CKD receiving dialysis resulted in improvement of clinical outcomes.

EVOLVE is expected to enroll approximately 3,800 patients in 500 clinical sites throughout the world, including the U.S., Latin America, Canada, Australia, Russia and the European Union. Amgen has gained acceptance of the study design with global regulatory authorities and enrollment is expected to begin in the second half of 2006.