OREANDA-NEWS. September 27, 2016.  Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced that the nomination process to submit proposals to receive an Amgen-sponsored LabCentral Golden Ticket is open for interested life-sciences and biotech startup companies in Massachusetts. LabCentral is an innovative, shared laboratory space designed as a launch pad for premier high-impact life-sciences and biotech startups. As one of LabCentral's platinum sponsors, Amgen can nominate up to two early-stage companies each year to take up residence in LabCentral's Kendall Square facilities in Cambridge, Mass.

"Amgen is pleased to launch the process to identify Golden Ticket winners," said

Aine Hanly, vice president of Process Development and site head at Amgen Massachusetts. "It's exciting to learn about the breadth of innovative research that is taking place within startup companies throughout Massachusetts. Amgen is committed to rewarding innovators who are advancing potentially game-changing, early-stage research that have the ability to impact patients' lives."  

"We know there are many more life-science visionaries with great technology and terrific science, and we're thrilled that Amgen continues to make such a strong commitment to promoting and supporting our Golden Ticket program," said LabCentral Co-Founder and President

Johannes Fruehauf, M.D., Ph.D. "These contests help get the word out, ensuring that there continues to be a broad pool of applicants with the highest potential. Further, since Amgen helps defray the cost of membership at LabCentral – without asking for any conditions – it may give winners a chance to get into LabCentral earlier than they may have otherwise. Once there, everyone thrives to the benefit of the entire life-sciences community."

The 2016 Golden Ticket nomination process opened on Sept. 6, 2016. During this round, Amgen will sponsor one promising life-sciences and biotech startup company to reside in LabCentral's facilities. The Golden Ticket represents one year of bench space for one scientist. Interested companies should send non-confidential company presentation for consideration to GoldenTicket@amgen.com by Oct. 30, 2016. Amgen will notify on Dec. 10, 2016.

Since the collaboration launched in 2014, Amgen has awarded a Golden Ticket to Novopyxis, Cocoon Biotech and Platelet Biogenesis.

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 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 one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

About LabCentral (www.labcentral.org; twitter @labcentral)
A 28,000 square-foot facility in the heart of the Kendall Square, Cambridge, biotech innovation hub, LabCentral is a first-of-its-kind shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life-sciences and biotech startups. It offers fully permitted laboratory and office space for early-stage companies comprising approximately 125 scientists and entrepreneurs. LabCentral provides first-class facility and administrative support, skilled laboratory personnel, a domain-relevant expert speaker series ? as well as the other critical services and support that startups need to begin laboratory operations on day one. A private, nonprofit institution, LabCentral was funded in part by a \\$5 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, with support from its real-estate partner, MIT. Founding sponsors include Triumvirate Environmental and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.