Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and the Amgen Foundation announced an initial commitment of up to $12.5 million to support U.S. and global relief efforts to address critical needs in communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to support emergency response efforts in Amgen's U.S. and international communities, patient-focused organizations that are mounting their own response efforts, and international relief efforts by Direct Relief and International Medical Corps. The Amgen Foundation will also match donations made by Amgen staff around the globe who wish to contribute their own funds to the relief efforts.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is precipitating a series of unprecedented challenges for people, governments and healthcare systems around the globe. It is also a very local phenomenon presenting an acute need to immediately support community measures to slow the spread of the virus and help those directly impacted," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "Our hope is that this commitment will help organizations on the front lines address urgent needs as we begin to better understand the longer-term needs of our communities."
Free online learning programs supported by the Amgen Foundation are also available to help students continue their science education during school closures, including LabXchange™ and Khan Academy's online learning website. Developed with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, LabXchange is a free online science education platform that provides users with access to personalized instruction, virtual lab experiences and networking opportunities across the global scientific community. Khan Academy has grown its biology offering, with the Amgen Foundation's support, to more than 300 videos, 80 exercise sets and 195 articles.
About the Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators and invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated over $325 million to local, regional, and international non-profit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars and the Amgen Biotech Experience.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world's largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.