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8-K - FORM 8-K - ONYX PHARMACEUTICALS INC | f54083e8vk.htm |
Exhibit 99.1
Onyx Pharmaceuticals Completes Acquisition of Proteolix, Inc.
Emeryville, CA November 16, 2009 Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONXX) today announced
that the company has completed its acquisition of Proteolix, Inc., a privately held
biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies that target the
proteasome for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors.
With the close of this strategic transaction, Onyx reaches an important milestone in its evolution
as a leading biopharmaceutical company. This acquisition positions the company for the next level
of growth as a multi-product portfolio company with the opportunity to expand into the $16 billion
hematological malignancies market, said N. Anthony Coles, M.D., president and chief executive
officer of Onyx. The lead asset, carfilzomib, with its potential for an accelerated approval in
2011, may provide the next generation of therapy for patients with multiple myeloma who often
relapse or become resistant to current treatment options.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic cancer and results from an abnormality
of plasma cells, usually in the bone marrow. In the United States, more than 50,000 people are
living with MM and approximately 20,000 new cases are diagnosed annuallyi. Worldwide,
more than 180,000 people are living with MM and approximately 86,000 new cases are diagnosed
annually.ii
About Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of
people with cancer. The company, in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is
developing and marketing
Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets, a small molecule drug that is currently approved for
the treatment of liver cancer and advanced kidney cancer. Additionally, Nexavar is being
investigated in several ongoing trials in a variety of tumor types. Beyond Nexavar, Onyx has
established a development pipeline of anticancer compounds at various stages of clinical testing,
including carfilzomib, a next-generation proteasome inhibitor, that is currently being evaluated in
multiple clinical trials for the treatment of patients with relapsed or relapsed/refractory
multiple myeloma and solid tumors, and ONX 0801, a targeted alpha-folate inhibitor, currently in
Phase 1 testing. For more information about Onyx, visit the companys website at
www.onyx-pharm.com.
Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets is a registered trademark of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements of Onyx within the meaning of the federal
securities laws. These forward-looking statements include without limitation, statements regarding
the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Proteolix and the timing, progress and results of the
clinical development, safety, regulatory processes, commercialization efforts or commercial
potential of carfilzomib.
These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results and events to differ materially from those anticipated, including the risk that
Proteolixs operations will not be integrated successfully into Onyxs, the risk that Onyx may not
realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition and risks related to the development and
commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Any statements contained in this press release that
are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Reference
should be made to Onyxs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading Risk Factors and Onyxs Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q for a more detailed description of such factors. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date of this
release. Onyx undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to
reflect new information, events, or circumstances after the date of this release except as required
by law.
Contacts:
Investors
|
Media | |
Julie Wood
|
Lori Murray | |
Vice President, Investor Relations
|
Associate Director, Corporate Communications | |
510-597-6505
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510-597-6394 |
i | National Cancer Institute, Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results, 2007 Facts and Figures | |
ii | International Agency for Research on Cancer , GLOBOCAN 2002 database |