AMGEN ADDS ASIA/PACIFIC SLOT TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT; LOWELL SEARS NAMED

AMGEN ADDS ASIA/PACIFIC SLOT TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT; LOWELL SEARS NAMED as senior VP for the region, Amgen said Aug. 26. VP- finance and chief financial officer at Amgen since 1988, Sears is relocating to Tokyo where he will oversee the establishment of Amgen operations in Japan and other regional markets. Sears' responsibilities also will encompass existing operations in Australia and China. Amgen has not yet appointed a successor chief financial officer. Amgen already sells its two primary products, Epogen (epoetin alfa) and Neupogen (filgrastim) in Japan, under a joint venture with Kirin Brewery. The Kirin relationship will not be affected, an Amgen spokesperson said; the office will focus instead on bringing new Amgen products to the Japanese market. The new Asia/Pacific position is one of several organizational changes Amgen is making at the executive office level. Overall, four of the firm's eight executive officers have been assigned new areas of responsibility. Highlighting the reorganization is a new emphasis on international activities as the biotech firm continues its evolution into a full-fledged global healthcare company. In addition to the creation of the Asia/Pacific job, Amgen has expanded the role of VP-Therapeutic Development Kirby Alton, PhD, to include "direct management" of Amgen's clinical and regulatory operations in Cambridge, England. Alton will also oversee development of those capabilities in Japan. Alton's job title has been upgraded to senior VP-therapeutic development. Amgen's new senior VP-sales and marketing is Dennis Fenton, PhD, who moves over from VP-process development, facilities and manufacturing services. Fenton succeeds Paul Dawson, who passed away in February. Amgen VP-Sales Thomas Beard, who has been handling sales and marketing on an interim basis, returns to his previous role. "In his new capacity, Fenton will manage Amgen's domestic sales and marketing operations," Amgen said. "Fenton will also be responsible for Amgen's Canadian operations and for establishing Amgen operations in additional countries in North and South America." Robert Andren, PhD, is adding management of facilities and manufacturing services to his existing job as VP-manufacturing and engineering. Andren assumes the new title of senior VP-operations. In other changes, the company announced the resignation of Arthur Staubitz, senior VP and general counsel, effective Sept. 15. Thomas Workman, formerly with the Los Angeles office of Pillsbury, Madison and Sutro, will fill in as acting general counsel until the company appoints a successor to Staubitz, the company said. All senior managers report to Amgen Chairman Gordon Binder.