Beer says a meeting with Amgen research chief Roger Perlmutter helped get things rolling.

FORBES: Small Stem Cells Find Big Backers

"We are sitting on a treasure trove, " says Amgen research chief Roger Perlmutter.

FORBES: Biotech Behemoth

Amgen's research chief, Roger Perlmutter, was previously a star researcher at Merck.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Sharer also lured immunologist Roger Perlmutter in 2001 to become Amgen's first chief of both research and development (the two posts previously were split).

FORBES: Biotech Behemoth

Amgen also said Roger Perlmutter will retire as executive vice president of research and development as of February, 2012, to be replaced by chief medical officer Sean Harper.

FORBES: People Moves: Amgen, New York Times

Amgen 's (nasdaq: AMGN - news - people ) top scientist, Roger Perlmutter , came from Merck (nyse: MRK - news - people ).

FORBES: Amgen: To Be Big Pharma or Not Big Pharma?

"You have success rates that haven't improved in 30 years, " says Amgen research chief Roger Perlmutter, a former Merck researcher, in the current issue of Forbes (see: " Storm Warnings").

FORBES: The Best-Selling Drugs In America