2005 Honoree, Amgen

Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology company, discovers, develops, and delivers innovative medicines to help people fight serious illness. With a mission to serve patients, Amgen translates the promise of science into therapies that have the power to save lives and restore health.

Founded in 1980, Amgen pioneered the development of therapies based on advances in recombinant DNA and molecular biology and launched the biotechnology industry's first blockbuster medicines. Today, Amgen is a Fortune 500 company with headquarters in Southern California and more than 14,000 staff members worldwide.

Amgen's Helix Campus in Seattle is the largest commercial biotechnology facility in the Northwest and an important research hub for the company. Helix houses the majority of the company's 900 Washington-based staff, including researchers, process development scientists, and support staff. Amgen's entry into the Seattle area has enabled it to tap into one of the most vital regions in the nation for quality talent and biomedical expertise.

In the communities in which Amgen staff live and work, including Seattle, the company gives millions of dollars in donations to local research firms, universities and charitable organizations and matches staff contributions dollar for dollar to qualified non-profits. Individual staff members also devote thousands of hours of personal time to programs and services that can make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

One of the most important vehicles for Amgen's corporate philanthropy is the Amgen Foundation. Since its founding in 1991, the Amgen Foundation has contributed more than $53 million to regional and national nonprofit organizations that advance science education, improve quality of care and access for patients, and support vital community resources.

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