Our Story

The heart and soul of the Amylin mission is to use innovative science to provide new treatments that change lives and help society forestall the alarming growth of the diabetes and obesity epidemics. We are extremely proud of the scientific breakthroughs that brought us to this point. We not only make medicines—we make meaningful medicines that treat major illnesses like diabetes and, in the coming years, obesity, in unprecedented and breakthrough ways.

With the successful launch of two first-in-class diabetes medicines in 2005, Amylin began its transformation from a research organization into an integrated biopharmaceutical company with capabilities in research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization. The field organization expanded nationwide and a new influx of experienced professionals in clinical, regulatory, marketing, and manufacturing disciplines joined the Amylin team—long recognized for its medical and scientific expertise.

But the story begins with the company’s formation in 1987 — on the strength of a conviction that a newly discovered peptide hormone called amylin could have real therapeutic value. The hormone is co-secreted with insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas and, along with insulin, is deficient in people who have diabetes. Amylin scientists believed there was a metabolic connection that, if discovered, would lead to a life-changing difference in the treatment of that disease.

Their belief led to a process of continual discovery that has become emblematic of Amylin, and fostered a culture of innovation that continues to expand opportunities for the company’s commercialized products. Ongoing clinical and product development work is designed to open new markets for those medicines and enable broader use. And at the same time, longer-range R&D programs support a robust product pipeline, focused on new therapies for diabetes, for obesity, and for tomorrow.