Proteolix

Proteolix, Inc. was a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapeutics using proprietary proteasome inhibitor technology. The company's research centered on the ubiquitin proteasome pathway, a key regulator of protein homeostasis in cells. This pathway is involved in the degradation of unwanted or misfolded proteins and plays a critical role in various cellular processes.

Proteolix developed Kyprolis (carfilzomib), a selective proteasome inhibitor approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Carfilzomib works by blocking the proteasome, leading to an accumulation of misfolded proteins within the malignant plasma cells, ultimately triggering cell death.

The company was founded in 2003 and headquartered in South San Francisco, California. Amgen acquired Proteolix in 2012 for approximately $760 million in cash plus contingent payments. Following the acquisition, the continued development and commercialization of Kyprolis became the responsibility of Amgen.